27-04-2025
- Automotive
- AU Financial Review
The new Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II has a dark side
What is it? The Cullinan Series II is the revised and re-nosed version of Rolls-Royce's first-ever SUV, introduced in 2018 and now accounting for about 45 per cent of the company's sales. Explaining the Black Badge variant is slightly more complex. Rolls-Royce describes it as the standard car's 'alter ego' and even uses the term 'subversive' in its marketing. With black highlights, including a darkened Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet mascot and grille, lower front air intakes and a smidgen more power and torque, it's a performance variant, but in a very subtle way. It could be seen as less ostentatious than its chrome-laden sibling, but again only marginally.
What does it cost? From $895,000 plus on-road costs. As with other Rolls-Royces, most Cullinans will be heavily optioned. There are almost unlimited choices; our car had a four-seat configuration with the rear featuring fully adjustable bucket seats on each side of a large central console and champagne fridge. In this configuration, it gains a second rear windshield between the rear seats and the cargo area, further reducing noise, and allowing the cabin to be heated, cooled and/or kept fly- and mosquito-free if you are parked with the tailgate open and the Viewing Suite in use. This optional Viewing Suite includes two electrically deployable seats and a cocktail table, which project out the rear cargo area to provide the perfect vantage (and G&T-sipping) point for, say, a school sports carnival. You probably won't want to make eye contact with the other parents though.
