What's all this about?
Rolls-Royce is building an SUV.
Good grief, is this it?!
No, for goodness' sake! This is a development test mule for 'Project Cullinan', named after the largest gem diamond ever found... which is now part of the Crown Jewels.
So what's going on with the Phantom body?
It's a shortened Series II shell on an all-wheel drive chassis, which Rolls will be subjecting to both test facility and on-road development from now onwards. The aim is to give the SUV the 'magic carpet' ride for which the marque is famed on all road surfaces.
All road surfaces?
Yup, on- and off-road. Rolls-Royce will be subjecting Project Cullinan to Belgian pavé, cobblestones, corrugated concrete, noise development and measurement surfaces, resonance road and acceleration bumps, in order to get the big SUV to behave in all conditions. You have to admit, it's a pretty thorough assortment of surfaces to take on.
Matt Robinson - 7 Apr 2015