Rolls-Royce joins auto industry trend with first SUV

Get ready for something new from Rolls-Royce. The luxurious British carmaker will soon debut its first sport utility vehicle. It will be called the Cullinan and, as expected, it will be big and powerful as its namesake.

The Cullinan, the largest diamond ever found, is part of the British Crown Jewels.

Pricing and a release date haven’t been announced, but the Cullinan is expected to be available in late 2018 and with an estimated entry price of around $400,000. It will be the most expensive Rolls-Royce ever made.

Constructed with all-aluminum architecture, the Cullinan will have impressive specs: a 6.75-liter, twin-turbo V12 with 563 horsepower. It will come standard all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and rear-hinged coach doors. The estimated 0-60 mph standard has not been announced.

Lots of other features add to the pending beast’s off-the-hook persona: The Cullinan weighs 5,800 pounds and features 22-inch wheels. Rolls-Royce says the vehicle can ford as much as 21 inches of standing water.

Further technology features will include: wifi hotspot capability, five USB ports, wireless phone charging, night vision cameras with wildlife and pedestrian warnings, alertness as360-degree and top-down camera, alertness assistance, active cruise control, collision warning, cross-traffic warning, lane departure warning and a head-up display.

All instruments will be digital, and a navigation system with touchscreen interface will be standard.

The Cullinan can be configured with room for two or three passengers in the back. With the two-seat rear configuration, passengers get access to a rear console with a drinks cabinet.

Rolls-Royce is calling the Cullinan an “all-terrain high-bodied car,” but doesn’t reference it as an SUV.

Additional features will be in typical Rolls-Royce tradition: a picnic table in the tailgate to champagne cooler to jewelry-like switchgear and even a bespoke “recreation module” that can be tailored for any hobby or sport.