The Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II has been unveiled, and the first thing one notices is the redesigned front end. We prefer the clean-cut looks of the original, as the new design, particularly with the DRLs resembling the moustache of a walrus and the parallelogram-esqué air-intakes make it look decidedly less sophisticated and as a result, decidedly less Rolls-Royce. Thankfully, the redesign hasn’t affected the side or the rear of the Cullinan too much.
As the case is for a new Rolls-Royce, the major updates are on the interior of the car. The big news is the Duality Twill seat material, which eschews leather in favour of a raycon fabric made from bamboo—it is made up of 2.2 million stitches and up to 11 miles (17.7 km) of thread. According to Rolls-Royce, it is inspired by the bamboo grove in the Le Jardin des Méditerranées botanical garden on the Côte d’Azur. Just the right amount of pretentiousness, then. This theme continues with the new Placed Perforation seat pattern inspired by clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce and comprises up to 107,000 individual perforations. Hmmm…
Rolls-Royce showcased the Black Badge Cullinan Series II as well, and like other Black Badge cars, the Spirit of Ecstasy is now black, unless someone wants it specified in gold, or crystal with internal lighting, or whatever Sir can dream up. The Black Badge series is for those who want to drive their Rolls-Royce, and always come in the highest performance specification. For the first time, 23-inch wheels are being offered on a Black Badge car.
The Updated Black Badge Cullinan Series II gets the same engine output from the six-and-three-quarter-litre (6.75-litre) twin-turbocharged V12, delivering 600 hp and 900 Nm to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic.
The last-gen Cullinan sold in India from Rs 6.95 crore, so once the new one reaches our shores, expect an uptick in price. The closest rival of the Cullinan is the Bentley Bentayga, though when it comes to brand cachet, Rolls-Royce motor cars are in a class of their own.
