2024 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II breaks cover
New look, more tech and tweaked suspension for Rolls-Royce super-luxury SUV’s mid-life updateSix years after it was first revealed in 2018, the 2024 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II has broken cover in the UK, brandishing a fresh look and high-tech interior upgrade for the super-luxury SUV.
Currently priced from $705,000 plus on-road costs in Australia for the standard Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and from $810,000 plus ORCs for the sportier Black Badge version, the new Series II version of the prestigious land yacht will once again be offered in two model grades and can be expected to be more expensive given the range of upgrades, including the fitment of the British brand’s ‘SPIRIT’ digital operating system.
Instead of just glueing an oversized touch-screen to the dashboard, Rolls-Royce says its integration of digital screens is artistic rather than utilitarian, describing the “pillar-to-pillar” glass panel that covers the entire width of the dashboard as “an elegant and versatile design element that stages both digital and physical craftsmanship”.
A new timepiece has also been added just to the left of the central screen, which lives inside a ‘cabinet’ that also houses a tiny version of the brand’s iconic Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.
Upgraded tech comes directly from the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, the Rolls-Royce Spectre, and together with a new digital instrument cluster it marks the first implementation of the ‘SPIRIT’ infotainment system on a V12-powered Roller.
The SUV also now includes a ‘Whispers’ app that allows remote vehicle control and monitoring, allowing owners to remotely send navigation instructions to the car, operate the locks and track its location.
Rear seat passengers get access to twin multimedia screens that can be connected separately to two devices or via the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, both via bespoke streaming software. The system can now connect to any Bluetooth headphones.
Rear occupants can also recline in power-operated and massaging seats with heating and cooling functions, while listening to an 18-speaker ‘Bespoke Audio’ system boasting a 1400W, 18-channel amplifier.
Exterior changes are most obvious at the front-end, with a new-look pantheon grille that’s now back-lit, flanked by a pair of slimmer headlights and bolder daytime running lights.
New 23-inch alloy wheels help give the SUV a larger, more strapping appearance, while the rear-end has a redesigned bumper with bigger exhaust outlets hinting at the 60-degree V12 (420kW/850Nm) lurking beneath its colossal bonnet.
The 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 petrol engine is also present in the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge but has slightly more muscle (441kW/900Nm), while modifications to the BB’s front and rear bumper sections supply sportier, more aggressive optics.
Apart from minor tweaks to the suspension to accommodate the larger wheels, no changes have been made to the mechanicals of the luxury cruiser.
Higher and more detailed levels of customisation are also now available on the Cullinan Series II.
The Cullinan has become Rolls-Royce’s biggest-selling model in Australia and worldwide.
In 2023, 49 Rolls-Royce vehicles were sold in Australia, 29 of them the Cullinan. Five SUVs have been sold to the end of April this year.
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