Video worth watching: Rolls-Royce Cullinan takes on Pikes Peak
Rolls-Royce's Cullinan, its first ever SUV has just been unveiled. This SUV is based on a development of the Phantom VIII's 'Architecture of Luxury' aluminium-intensive structure and comes with an all-new four-wheel drive and four-wheel steer system. It features the 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 Rolls-Royce engine which delivers 563PS and 850Nm. A number of features line the cabin developed specifically for this car including the viewing suite rear jump seats and the 'Recreation Module'. It is also first SUV to come with a hermetically sealed partition which separates the seating area from the rear luggage compartment, making it the first three-box SUV.
As a build to what can conservatively be called an excessive car, Rolls-Royce tied-up with National Geographic to fulfil a number of challenges. This culminated in what is seen in this video, a climb up the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb. The 19.9km route runs from the start-point at an altitude of 2,800m to the summit at 4,300m above sea level, with drivers having to negotiate 156 turns along the way. The event is one of the better known hill-climb events on the international motorsport calendar and has seen credible performances from manufacturers like Audi, Peugeot, Toyota and Suzuki.
See how the Cullinan fares in this video