SPY PICS: Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV

I say, surely this can’t be a Rolls-Royce clambering up that decidedly boggy and rutted climb. How unbecoming…it is.

Commercial reality is unavoidable; Rolls-Royce needs its striking first-ever off-roader ASAP and the Cullinan first reported in April 2015, appears to be heading closer to reality as these recently-snapped spy photos attest.

The massive (notice how it dwarfs the driver in some of these photos) 4WD is said to be undergoing final testing in northern Europe before launching in the first half of next year. Shakedown runs in the Middle East shortly will wrap the development program.

Riding on a new lightweight platform destined to underpin future Phantom and perhaps other models, the Cullinan – named after the largest rough diamond ever found -- is evidently aimed at transferring the appropriate Rolls-Royce qualities to the off-road experience.

Well, mildly off-road. Although the ground clearance is obviously greater than regular Rolls-Royce models, the Cullinan can’t really be expected to tackle the deepest depths of the bush.

Nevertheless, it’s indisputable that even a mega-luxury brand such as Rolls-Royce is bound to benefit from having a SLUV (stratospherically luxurious utility vehicle) in its ranks.

Like Bentley with its Bentayga and Jaguar with its F-PACE, there is money to be made in having a high-luxury SUV. In fact some are saying the Cullinan could quickly become the biggest-selling Rolls-Royce model.

The company promises the Cullinan will be imbued with proper Rolls-Royce qualities, including the stately presence and, thanks to an all-new suspension, the wafting, magic-carpet ride customers expect.

Rolls-Royce will clearly employ the oversize V12 powerplant seen in the now out-of-production Phantom model, which should equate with its tradition of providing “adequate” power. And pricing? Once again this is bound to prompt the answer: “If you need to ask, you can’t afford it.”

“Will Sir be requiring his pre-heated Blundstones?”