Rolls-Royce Cullinan. A Rolls-Royce that copes with the gravel.
The same rear cabin manners as a Phantom, a high seat, a proper boot and four driven wheels. For estates, winter roads and days with a great deal of shopping in the back. Arranged on request.
At a glance
What it carries
- PassengersFour, or fiveBuilt either as a five seat car with a rear bench, or as a four seat car with two reclining individual seats and a console between them. The four seat car is the one people remember.
- LuggageAbout 560 litresMore than a Phantom and easier to load, with a tailgate that opens in two parts. The rear seats fold for long or awkward items.
- BodyFull size SUVAround 5.34 metres long and just over two metres wide before the mirrors, on air suspension with all wheel drive.
- AvailabilityArranged on requestNot among the cars we own and run daily in London and Manchester. Ask us about availability for your dates.
Why it exists on this list
The Rolls-Royce for an imperfect road
A Phantom is a ceremonial car. It wants smooth tarmac, a kerb and a doorway. The Cullinan was built for the clients who wanted the same rear cabin on a Friday afternoon in November, going to a house at the end of a long wet drive, with luggage, dogs and a shoot in the morning.
Mechanically it is the sensible answer to that: air suspension, four driven wheels, ground clearance a saloon does not have, and a high seating position that a lot of passengers simply prefer. Socially it is less discreet than a Range Rover, which is either the reason to book it or the reason not to. We will give you our view if you ask.
The detail that decides most enquiries is the seating. In four seat form the rear is two reclining seats with a console between them, which is the better car for two people travelling a long way. In five seat form there is a bench, which is what you want for a family or for three adults going to the same dinner. The cars are not interchangeable, so tell us how many are travelling and we will confirm which layout is being offered.
Good for
When to choose it
- Country houses, estates and weekends where the last stretch is gravel rather than tarmac
- Ski transfers where the road above the valley is steep and salted, with skis and boots to carry
- Luxury shopping days, where the boot is the point and the car waits nearby all afternoon
- Arrivals where you want to be seen, but also want to get four people and their luggage home afterwards
- Passengers who find a low saloon awkward and want the height without giving up the cabin
- Photography, campaign and production work where the car is in shot
Practical reality
Width, weight and where it will not go
It is a wide car. Just over two metres across the body before the mirrors means the Cullinan is at the limit of a London multi-storey bay, uncomfortable on a single track lane with stone walls, and slow through a village on a market day. None of that stops it working, but it does mean we plan the last mile rather than trusting a satnav. Send the address, the gate arrangements and any height barriers on the route.
For winter in the mountains the vehicle has to be equipped for the country and the date, not just be four wheel drive. In France, between 1 November and 31 March, vehicles in the communes designated under the mountain law must carry four winter tyres marked 3PMSF or carry chains or snow socks for at least two wheels, and Switzerland, Italy and Austria each set their own rules. Outside London and Manchester our cars are arranged through operators we know, and we confirm the winter equipment before anything is agreed rather than after.
One more honest note. A Cullinan is conspicuous in a way that matters on some journeys and is unhelpful on others. For a discreet school run, a clinic appointment or a working day of meetings, the S-Class is the better car and we will say so.
Which vehicle?
Cullinan, Range Rover or V-Class
| Cullinan | Range Rover | V-Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Estates and winter roads without giving up the cabin | The same journeys, with less attention | Groups, families and the luggage of all of them |
| Passengers | 4 or 5, depending on the car | Up to 4, or 6 in a seven seat car | Up to 7 |
| Luggage | About 560 litres | Large, and easy to load wet or dirty items | A case for every passenger |
| Discretion | Low, by design | Moderate | High |
| Availability | Arranged on request | On request | Owned and run by us in London and Manchester |
For a party of five with skis and cases together, the honest answer is usually a V-Class, or two vehicles. See group and delegation travel.
Where it turns up
The days we arrange one
Request a quote
Tell us who is travelling and what is coming with them
Passenger numbers decide whether the four seat or five seat car is right, and the luggage decides whether one vehicle is enough. Add the addresses at both ends, and for an alpine transfer the resort and the dates, and we will confirm what can be arranged.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About the Cullinan
Do you own a Cullinan?
The cars we own and run with our own chauffeurs in London and Manchester are the S-Class and the V-Class. A Cullinan is arranged on request through operators we know, and we confirm availability for your dates before you commit.
Will it seat five?
Only if the car offered is the five seat version with a rear bench. Many are built as four seat cars with two individual reclining seats. Tell us the numbers and we will confirm the layout of the actual car, not the model in general.
Can it get us to a shoot or a house on a track?
Usually yes, and it is far better suited to it than any saloon. Tell us about dogs, guns and wet kit so the right boot protection is in the car, and whether the chauffeur is waiting on the estate for the day.
Will our skis fit?
For two or three people, generally yes, with the rear seats folded on a five seat car. A full party with boots and boards usually wants a second vehicle or a roof box, arranged in advance rather than discovered at the airport.
Can you arrange one in the Alps for a week?
That is the usual way it is booked for winter: a vehicle and a chauffeur who drives that valley through the season, arranged through an operator we know. Tell us the resort, the airport and the dates.
Is it a quieter car than a Range Rover?
It is a calmer and more insulated cabin, and a noticeably more conspicuous one. If the journey calls for not being noticed, the Range Rover or the S-Class is the better choice.
