There’s been a lot of news recently regarding the upcoming Rolls-Royce->ke74 SUV,->ke449 and for good reason: there will be no shortage of ultra-luxury SUVs hitting the market in coming years. The latest info out of Goodwood comes straight from Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, Rolls-Royce CEO, who was quoted by Automotive News as saying that the new SUV – internally known as the Cullinan – will use an extensive amount of aluminum throughout its body and chassis.
The big news from this announcement is the SUV’s all-aluminum spaceframe, which is being developed specifically for the SUV and will not be shared with any BMW products. This is despite the fact that the newest addition to the Rolls-Royce family will share some components with the upcoming BMW X7, although the specific parts are unknown. Beyond the SUV, this spaceframe will lay the groundwork for future Rolls-Royce models.
The SUV will launch in 2018, but Mueller-Oetvoes remained mum on whether it will be a five-seater or a seven-seater. What he did reveal was that the design is about to be finalized, and test mules will hit the streets in coming months.
While there will be plenty of expectations for the Rolls-Royce SUV, don’t anticipate any particular off-road prowess, even though Mueller-Oetvoes said that the new SUV will be capable of "going from the opera to the Alps, with enough room for passengers and all their gear."
Continue reading to learn more about Rolls Royce's future SUV.
Why it matters
While rivals like the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus will share basic platforms with more entry-level brands, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV will not.