It is now official – hell has frozen over and squadrons of flying pigs are overhead. Oh, and Rolls-Royce->ke74 has officially announced that it is preparing to start development on the brand's first ever SUV.->ke145 Sure, the press release goes to great pains not to call it an SUV, but a "high-bodied car" or "a vehicle that can cross any terrain." Either way, the rumor mill can finally relax, especially since Rolls-Royce has also announced that "customers, enthusiasts and the media" will not be kept in the dark about the new model's development progress.
Work on the RR SUV had actually started back in 2014, when a design team led by Rolls-Royce Director of Design Giles Taylor began defining the model's overall design language and proportions. Nothing is confirmed as of yet, but heavy use of aluminum should keep the future SUV's weight down, with its general architecture being shared with the upcoming 2016 BMW 7 Series and the 2018 BMW X7.->ke3218
Despite Bentley->ke15 already confirming that the Bentayga is set to land at the end of 2015 and Mercedes-Benz->ke187 pushing for a Maybach->ke52 version of it future GLS full-size SUV, it looks like the Rolls will be the most luxurious crossover/SUV out there. The Chinese and Middle-Eastern markets are likely already dying for a big SUV wearing the iconic "Spirit of Ecstasy," but the car should be at least three years away from launch.
Click past the jump to read more about the future Rolls Royce SUV.
Why it matters
With the crossover/SUV market continuously increasing in recent years and no sign of stopping any time soon, it is no wonder that Rolls-Royce decided to jump on the bandwagon, leaving Ferrari as the only remaining luxury carmaker without such a model in its lineup. Obviously, news of a Rolls-Royce SUV will not be received kindly by old-school enthusiasts, but considering how Porsche and Bentley got through all the commotion after announcing similar models, I expect the Rolls to be received a tad better, actually.
Apart from being the first lifted Rolls in history, the model is also expected to feature an all-wheel-drive system and an electronically controlled air suspension, while a twin-turbocharged V-12 should be in charge of propulsion. Sporting a similar design language as the current lineup, the model will probably have the most commanding presence of any SUV out there, while its starting price could make it almost as expensive as the larger Phantom. The only major mystery regarding the car is probably its moniker – maybe Silver Slab would fit the bill?