In recent months, ultra-luxury SUVs have become a hot topic in the automotive world. Just last year, Bentley announced the release of its premium Bentayga SUV. The Bentayga boasts a range of comfort features including a built-in fridge, heated seats capable of massaging passengers and much more—taking the term “luxury SUV” to new heights.
Today, British elite automaker Rolls-Royce has confirmed that it also has an SUV in the works for the 2018 model year, and car enthusiasts all over the world are waiting on the edge of their seats to see what the company has in store.
Rolls-Royce’s SUV is currently codenamed ‘project Cullinan’—a name inspired by the biggest diamond ever found. The company is currently working on developing a prototype and has done a great job keeping most of the information about the project a secret. However, Rolls-Royce did release a few details that will provide car repair training students with an idea of what to expect when the vehicle does hit the market.
If you’re planning to pursue an auto repair career or you’ve recently started your courses, read on to learn a few details about the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Car Repair Training Students Know that the Cullinan and its Parts will be Pricey
If you’re planning to pursue car repair training, you may have noticed that some luxury brands have recently built smaller and more affordable versions of their SUVs. For example, the Porsche Macan is similar, but comparatively less expensive than the Cayenne S. However, this will not be the case with Rolls-Royce as the Cullinan SUV will remain consistent to the brand’s reputation; exclusive and expensive.
“Our strategy is that we will never offer a car priced lower than Ghost”, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös told Top Gear last year.
The Cullinan is expected to start at approximately $350,000, and experienced auto mechanics know that its British-made car parts will likely come with an extremely high price tag as well. For this reason, working on a Cullinan during your career would require you to be employed by a Rolls-Royce dealership or a garage that specializes in high-end imports.
New Features Pros with Car Repair Training Have Yet to See in a Rolls-Royce
Although no one knows exactly what the SUV will look like, the Cullinan will be the first all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicle that Rolls-Royce has ever produced. The company also designed a new lightweight, all-aluminum platform, which will become the standard for several future models. Both the new frame structure and the AWD system are currently being tested on a Rolls-Royce Phantom in order to ensure quality and functionality before they are implemented into the SUV. As for power, auto experts expect that the SUV will feature a V12 engine capable of producing a minimum of 500 horsepower.
During your automotive mechanic career you’ll also get the chance to witness another of Roll-Royce’s firsts, since the Cullinan might be available in a plug-in hybrid version. The company recognizes that in the future many cities will have no-emission zones, which is why it is aiming to produce hybrid vehicles. There’s no news at this point, however, of Rolls-Royce wanting to produce a fully-electric vehicle.
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