User:Iridona/sandbox/Rolls-Royce SUV

The Rolls-Royce "Cullinan" is an upcoming luxury SUV produced by Rolls Royce Motor Cars. It is the first ever SUV to be produced in the company. Launch and production is slated to be in 2018.

BMW has confirmed that an aluminum architecture has been produced and likely will be employed in the vehicle.

Development
It was long rumored that the car company would venture into making an SUV. A report by cnn in February of 2015 said that there will be an SUV. AutoExpress exclusively reported that a design was in the works and that the name woudl be Cullinan, named after the largest uncut diamond. This was due to its competitors such as Bentley and Lamborghini venturing into the SUV business with the Bentayga and the Urus respectively. On 17 September 2015, it was confirmed by Rolls Royce design chief Giles Taylor that the company was tinkering on it. At the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show, Rolls Royce boss Torsten Muller-Otvos said the SUV will be revealed in 2017 and be on sold in 2018.

A model was spotted testing on 23 December by Autocar.

Testing phase
The car started its testing phase, as reported on 2 January 2016.

The car has been seen testing on snow.

Construction
It has been described as a "high-sided  all-terrain vehicle". The drive train will be on a 4x4 drivetrain coupled to an automatic transmission.

The Cullinan uses a unique chassis platform, body, interior, and retains traditional Rolls-Royce design cues. The body is mostly aluminium.

Final assembly, including all body, paint, wood, and leather work, is completed to each customer's individual specification at the Rolls-Royce plant in Goodwood, West Sussex. The plant is close to the historic Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit.

Chassis
The body is expected to be based on the 7 series

According to Fintan Knight, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ sales and marketing director, the sales would rise from 4,000 sales a year to no more than 6,000 a year.