Rolls-Royce Cullinan – Only the very best of everything

Rolls-Royce – Ferrari – Bugatti. Iconic names, shrouded in myth, rarely seen and usually hidden away in air-conditioned garages. And, of course, burdened with preconceptions – Rolls-Royce in particular is surrounded by legends: the car breaking down in the Gobi Desert? Which, of course, it would never do! Before you know it, the mechanic arrives by helicopter and the journey continues. Would you like the apple tree under which your grandparents shared their first kiss to be used as veneer for your new Rolls-Royce? And how about the constellation of the day you were born immortalised by hundreds of tiny LED lights on the headliner? With a few shooting stars flickering at the edges now and then?

The bit about the helicopter and the mechanic in the desert is nonsense, a legend – the rest is true: such bespoke requests are happily fulfilled directly in Goodwood, next to the famous race track, for a fee. In fact, ANYTHING is possible – provided it doesn’t contravene registration regulations and doesn’t break the client’s bank. But that practically never happens – Rolls-Royce customers don’t talk about money, they have it at their disposal.

Rolls-Royce models are rare creatures – just under 6,000 will be hand-built in 2026, a figure that major manufacturers could easily achieve in a single day. To get a taste of the legend, one would therefore need sufficient funds to purchase one and park it in the garage. Or perhaps a fairy godmother will place a Rolls-Royce on your doorstep, and a trained assistant – who never loses his cool – will hand over the key. He is needed to guide you through the myriad of controls, set up your mobile phone and reassure you about the choice of fuel: Super E 10 is fine – thank goodness it’s not the outrageously expensive Super-Plus+.

Our assistant was called Thomas B. and, after half an hour, entrusted the Rolls-Royce Cullinan to capable hands for a five-day adventure – one that confirmed some preconceptions and reduced others to absurdity.

First and foremost, the Cullinan – named after the largest diamond ever found (3,106.75 carats (621.35 g) and measuring 10.1 cm × 6.35 cm × 5.9 cm) – is a mighty vehicle, an XXL SUV, so to speak. And with a length of 5.35 metres, a width of exactly 2 metres and a height of 1.83 metres, it is one of the largest SUVs – that is, ‘Sport Utility Vehicles’ – currently in production. That said, given the sheer size of the Cullinan, the observer is initially inclined to dismiss the ‘sport’ classification – and indeed the ‘utility’ aspect too; the Cullinan is more likely to be used to transport Louis Vuitton luggage and Hermès Kelly bags than crates of Kölsch beer.

Another definition: “An SUV is a class of vehicle that resembles an off-roader in appearance but is designed for everyday road use.” That’s a definition one can live with – the Cullinan is an off-roader, which means it could easily be one, but its owners are unlikely to take it off-road into their local woods very often. That’s why people choose off-road vehicles that don’t mind scuff marks from branches and bushes on the paintwork. One doesn’t even want to think about what it would cost to repaint our Rolls-Royce Cullinan in Monteverde – an elegant grey with a touch of green and the black coachline. The coachline, by the way, is that side line drawn by hand with a fine brush by a specialist – so far, every attempt to have a robot draw this line has failed. The robot probably cannot replicate the slight imperfection that characterises the human hand. And with the money a set of 23-inch rims costs, a family of four could live like royalty for a few days.

So let’s assume that the Cullinan can climb mountains and wade through deep water – though in reality it will probably never do so, except in the company’s test department, where such things naturally have to be tested, even if the customer will likely never try it out.

A Rolls-Royce SUV

Over the past 122 years, Rolls-Royce has consistently strived to build the perfect saloon – and this perfection was often experienced in the rear, as in the past the chauffeur sat up front whilst the owner and their companions relaxed in the back, recovering from the stresses of everyday life. Perhaps this attitude also contributed to a steady decline in sales figures, as chauffeurs have, in fact, fallen out of fashion. Today, Rolls-Royce sells its luxury cars to self-drivers – and with astonishing success: whilst Rolls-Royce sold around 400 to 500 vehicles in 2000, a staggering 5,664 models were delivered in 2025 – so a completely new customer base has emerged which – as the sales figures show – loves the Cullinan. The SUV accounted for more than half of total sales with 3,291 units, whilst 1,002 units of the Spectre electric model were delivered – that sounds astonishing, though Rolls-Royce reported a 47 per cent decline here compared to 2024. Is this an indication that those who are determined to drive fully electric have had their wish fulfilled? And that the rest remain loyal to the combustion engine? This is also supported by the fact that the ‘small’ Ghost saloon saw a 22.9 per cent increase to 993 units, whilst 376 units of the ‘large’ Phantom were delivered. So the Cullinan has given Rolls-Royce a major boost – It seems the world of connoisseurs had been waiting for a luxury SUV from Goodwood.

The wait came to an end on 10 May 2018 – the Rolls-Royce Cullinan was unveiled in London on that day and has been the brand’s best-seller ever since. Bob Dylan sang ‘The Times They Are A-Changing’ in 1964 – and this insight is also evident among the luxury brands: the best-selling models at Bentley, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Maserati are SUVs – and even Ferrari has an SUV, although it is not permitted to be marketed as such.

Detractors say that Rolls-Royce vehicles had just one flaw in the past: their models could not be ordered with a tow bar. They were forced to have their boat or horse trailers towed by a Range Rover or Bentley Bentayga. That suffering is over – and we are now sitting in a Cullinan, enveloped in the finest leather; nestled in a body where noise reduction is the top priority, and beneath the angular bonnet sits a befitting 12-cylinder engine with a displacement of 6,749 cm³ and 420 kW or 563 hp – equally impressive: 860 Nm of torque, available from just 1,600 rpm.

Plenty of power, then, though it has to contend with a kerb weight of 2,725 kilograms – yet the 563 bhp delivers on the brand’s promise of ‘Effortless, everywhere’ with complete ease. In fact, with the Cullinan, you can go “anywhere and do so completely effortlessly” – so effortlessly, in fact, that after a few hundred kilometres you find yourself wondering how this is possible.

How the Rolls-Royce Cullinan aims to stand out from the competition

Now, the competition – led by Range Rover and Bentley – has certainly set the bar high when it comes to performance, comfort and equipment. So the task was clear: more luxury, more power, and more passion and creativity in developing the ultimate in comfort. The Cullinan is based on the aluminium spaceframe chassis introduced with the eighth-generation Phantom; resting upon this is the majestic body, which features underbody protection running from front to rear and the characteristic rear-hinged doors that genuinely make access to the rear seats easier. Naturally, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan also features a large, two-part tailgate, the lower section of which you can even sit on – perhaps for a picnic?

Of course, the interior is much more comfortable, and the rear seats are even more so – especially if you opt for the two individual seats when ordering. Plenty of legroom, individual climate control for every seat, separate TVs with their own headphones – what more could you want? This configuration also features a glass partition between the passenger compartment and the boot, though this means the rear seats can no longer be folded down – the boot is still huge, though. But where do the skis go?

Of course, the front seats are superb too; the air conditioning envelops you with just the right amount of air at the perfect temperature, and the stereo fills the cabin with Bach, the Beatles or Miles Davis – whichever you prefer. And the six-millimetre-thick double glazing ensures the necessary distance from the outside world and its noise, whilst the air suspension delivers that expected gliding sensation.

Now, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is a very large vehicle – its 5.35-metre length takes some getting used to. The friendly Thomas B. explains that this isn’t such a big deal, pointing out that the rear wheels steer as well – this four-wheel steering gives the Cullinan an unexpected agility and takes the worry out of navigating narrow village roads and hairpin bends. Up to a speed of 60 km/h, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels to improve manoeuvrability. From 60 km/h onwards, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels to improve the vehicle’s stability.

Surrounded by every conceivable driver-assistance system, driving the Rolls-Royce Cullinan – after a bit of a settling-in period – becomes a memorable experience. You really do glide along; the more than ample power gives this colossus acceleration figures that are surprising: you wouldn’t have expected 0–100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, and the fact that the top speed is limited to 250 km/h is also understandable – anything above that is nonsense and would place almost insurmountable demands on the tyres – 23 inches!

The silky-smooth 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF is linked, as in the Phantom VIII, to a GPS receiver that tracks the vehicle’s location and measures its speed in order to select the appropriate gear at the right moment. Furthermore, the on-board electronics use data from the acceleration sensors and camera systems to determine the optimal damper setting. But to be honest: after two or three spirited overtaking manoeuvres with impressive acceleration, the sublime feeling of driving a motorised castle takes over: Gliding along at a leisurely pace is far more enjoyable; racing against a well-powered BMW 3 Series is rather distasteful, especially as the unmistakable radiator grille confers such prestige when overtaking that any form of pushing and shoving is unnecessary. On the contrary: it would be embarrassing to push and shove in a Cullinan. There’s simply no need.

What effect does the Rolls-Royce Cullinan have on passers-by and passengers?

Especially as the Cullinan was generally viewed in a positive light – thumbs up were the norm, along with friendly smiles, rather tentative questions (less about the price, more about fuel consumption figures) and plenty of smiles throughout the drive. That said, the subject of price should only be touched upon briefly – the non-radically customised Cullinan was priced at €414,594 (net); let’s just accept that figure for now. A buyer is bound to be found. The fuel consumption figures, on the other hand, are astonishing – the bottom line after around 500 kilometres was 16.4 litres of premium petrol per 100 kilometres. However, there was very little city driving involved – the figures would likely rise rapidly under those conditions. A figure that my VW Beetle 1302 S could easily match back in the 1970s.

But that is unlikely to bother the clientele, who are becoming ever younger and wealthier – they are not merely purchasing a status symbol, but also a superbly crafted one-off that perfectly blends tradition and modernity. It is fascinating, in any case, how the sheer size, the build quality reminiscent of the craftsmanship of our forefathers, and the tradition-conscious cockpit design harmonise with state-of-the-art technology, including a touchscreen and 3D navigation with building simulation. In addition, more than 70 electric servomotors operate the upholstery, seatbacks, headrests, doors, tailgate and practically everything that can be moved by a motor. One sometimes wonders why one should get in and out oneself – an abundance of service that the clientele clearly appreciates.

Even though the rear seats promise relaxation and the occasional nap, driving it yourself is clearly more enjoyable: the powerful engine purrs silkily, the abundant torque ensures low revs even at higher speeds, and the silence in the cabin provides moments of contemplation – if only it weren’t for the rest of the hectic traffic. But actually, the occupants of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan soon stop caring about the outside world – you live in a world of your own and let the world out there pass you by. A colleague wrote: “The silence all around prompts the question directed at the steering wheel: ‘Are you still standing still, or are you already driving?’”

What is fascinating about the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the realisation that – provided money is no object – it is apparently possible to add yet another dimension of quality and craftsmanship to a car. Of course, even a Cullinan has its production deadlines, but these seem to be so flexible that the car is only moved on to the next stage once the work has been completed to perfection and without a single flaw. The result is correspondingly impressive. The owner – and there are female buyers too – probably strides proudly towards their Cullinan every morning and steps into their vehicle, lavishly appointed in wood and leather, with a certain sense of happiness.

When asked whether I would order a Rolls-Royce Cullinan – after winning the lottery – I can only say YES.

Photos Rolls-Royce Motorcars

Author: Jürgen Lewandowski

Jürgen Lewandowski schreibt seit mehr als 40 Jahren über Menschen und Autos - und hat mehr als 100 Bücher veröffentlicht. Traumklassiker: Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Touring Spider und Lancia Rally 037. Eigener Klassiker: Alfa Romeo R.Z. von 1993. View all posts by Jürgen Lewandowski →