No, You’re Wrong! What Do You Think of the New Rolls-Royce Cullinan? [Video/Poll]

Yesterday, the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan was revealed to the world. Is it brilliant or ugly?

We live in a brave new world. As of yesterday, a new precedent was set, traditions were eschewed, and an eye was cast to the future. More specifically, the future where Rolls-Royce, one of the oldest car brands, makes an SUV. Some might see this as an inevitable move – given the rising popularity of high-riding crossovers – while others never thought Rolls-Royce, of all brands, would move away from traditional sedans. Love it or not, the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan is upon us. It does feature some unique, interesting features, and of course is swathed in luxury. All that comes at a price, though: $325,000 and up.

The appearance, features and price tag definitely make the Cullinan a true Rolls-Royce, but today’s discussion centers around how this new SUV looks. The Rolls-Royce Phantom is what most people would expect from the brand: expensive, classical, elegant. Bestowed with a few modern touches. More to the point, few would argue the Phantom was well and truly ugly. However, TFL’s Nathan Adlen does not like the look of the new Cullinan. It’s bulbous, ugly, and that grille – “specifically designed to run over people” – is massive. Andre disagrees, in a classic “no, you’re wrong!” argument. So who’s right? Is the Rolls-Royce Cullinan a brilliant adaptation to an SUV platform, or is it hideous? Cast your vote in the poll above, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Bespoke features of the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan

While its lineage is unmistakable thanks to that huge grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan does have some bespoke features. Since it’s the first Rolls-Royce SUV, it has the first all-wheel drive system the company has ever fit to one of their cars. Coupled to the familiar 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 and an eight-speed automatic transmission, the Cullinan has been extensively tested to work off-road. In that respect, this vehicle aims to take on the Range Rover as well as the other hyper-luxury SUV giant, the Bentley Bentayga. The Cullinan also has a bespoke Off-Road mode to tackle the rough stuff. Not that many of you who can afford a $325,000 SUV would think about taking it off-road often, but it’s nice to know it can do it. After all, Rolls-Royce had a reputation for its go-anywhere durability long before some of the newer off-road worthy models came along.

The Cullinan also has a clamshell tailgate that opens and a “viewing platform” that pulls out. On that viewing platform are two small jump seats with a table between them, so you can tailgate. In a $325,000 Rolls-Royce. Perhaps “tailgate” isn’t the correct word, but you can admire the sunset on your picturesque estate. Rolls-Royce states the largest market for this car is the United States, so perhaps that feature will endear it to those of us who want our cars to do absolutely everything.

If the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan isn’t quite your style, check out another expensive Rolls below: the 2018 Phantom VIII. Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views, and real-world reviews!