IN ITS 111-YEAR history, Rolls-Royce has crafted a rock solid identity for itself as the builder of exquisite, hand-crafted luxury cruisers.
And in the modern definition, that means sedans, coupes, and convertibles. No trucks or SUVs here. Until now.
In response to demands from its discerning customers for a “go anywhere” vehicle, Rolls-Royce has announced that it will indeed launch an SUV, although the company doesn’t explicitly use the “SUV” terminology.
Even Rolls-Royce is not immune to the sport utility craze.
According to the company, development of the go-anywhere Rolls is still in its nascency. There are no official design renderings, development timetable, technical specifications, or even a code name that we know of.
However, what we do know about the upcoming Rolls-Royce off-roader is mouthwatering.
According to Rolls-Royce, a subsidiary of Germany’s BMW Group, its future SUV will be roughly the same size as the company’s flagship Phantom sedan. It will be a “high-bodied car” built using an all-new aluminium construction instead of the current cars’ steel monocoque framework.
As for the engines, expect to see a version of the company’s venerable 6.75 litre V-12 under the hood. Although, Rolls-Royce’s monster 9.0 litre V16 found in the 101EX concept car from 2006 is still sitting in a warehouse somewhere, that option seems to be less likely.
Like all other Rolls-Royce cars, it will be hand-built at the company’s workshop in Goodwood, England.
Although breaking with tradition is not something we see Rolls-Royce do very often, it makes business sense with this car.
There is a true void in the ultra-premium market. There are no luxury SUVs that live in the Rolls-Royce’s $300,000 and up price point. In fact, you’ll have to go all the way down to Jaguar Land Rover’s $140,000 Range Rover Autobiography or Mercedes-Benz’s $137,000 G63 AMG for any competition.
Rolls-Royce isn’t the only one who has noticed. Bentley recently announced its “uniquely” named Bentayga, and even Lamborghini is waiting for the green light to produce its high performance off-roader.
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