The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
If you don't like the idea of a Rolls-Royce SUV, blame the brand's customers – or "patrons of luxury", as company calls them. For it was they who asked the Goodwood-based marque to build the model now known as the Cullinan. They wanted "luxury, performance and usability", a reflection of the younger demographic Rolls now attracts worldwide. As Bob Dylan sang, the times, they are a-changin'.
Not too much, though: there is pedigree for a Rolls-Royce off-roading in inhospitable terrain. T E Lawrence put armoured Silver Ghosts through their paces as he in the Arabian desert, remarking famously that "a Rolls in the desert is above rubies", a quote that the peerless brand is naturally fond of recounting this month, as they launch the Cullinan to the expectant world of the ultra-rich.
We have been waiting to drive this car since it was announced in 2015. Whether by design or not, Rolls was fortunate that Bentley brought its Bentayga to market first. That car was the first ultra-luxury SUV the world had seen, and took the bashings for its slab-sided appearance and the outrage that such an inveterate maker of luxury sports cars and endurance racing should “sell out” to the consumer demand for SUVs. But now that our eyes have grown accustomed to the light, the way is paved for a much smoother ride for the Cullinan.
Named after the largest diamond ever found, which now sits in the British Crown Jewels collection, the Cullinan has the same unadorned sheets of metal as the Bentayga, with unapologetically large features. There are strong vertical and horizontal lines everywhere, giving the car, in the words of Rolls, “the prominent brow of a Saxon warrior”. From the side, the bodywork runs down the car like a sheer cliff face, and at the front, those inset headlamps and air intakes give off an unmistakably aggressive air. But then Rolls has never shied away from conquering the horizon, and that’s why it remains the builder of the word’s most coveted cars today. If that sounds like hyperbole, stop reading now: everything about Rolls-Royce is magnified, heightened and extreme.
How has Rolls managed to stay ahead of the competition?
With an extreme take on luxury. In hotel terms, one might put Bentley as the Ritz-Carlton of the automotive world, and Rolls-Royce as the Aman portfolio, which is convenient, because the international launch is at the Amangani in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Aman hotels go beyond five-star luxury. They are unafraid to combine Brutalist concrete architecture with desert landscapes, or let the views of the Rockies be framed by simple grasses and huge windows. The natural materials are carefully curated to speak for themselves, which is pretty much what Rolls-Royce does with its architecture, design and interiors.
The inside of the Cullinan is a palace of decadence, and a triumph of simplicity. That should be an oxymoron, but Rolls-Royce thrives on creating the combination. In the back, which is where one starts with all Rolls-Royces, you can choose a bench seat to take three passengers, or two individual seats with a huge console between them, housing whisky glasses, decanter, champagne flutes and refrigerator. The rear doors open outwards from the back, and there are acres of leg space, your feet sinking into the footwell carpets. The rear passengers can be separated from the boot by a glass partition, which is a glorious addition, stopping passengers from freezing (or, in the UAE, boiling) when the tailgate is open. There are even beautiful zips hiding the Isofix mounts.
The electrically folding rear seats don’t lie flat, but the boot floor rises to create a seamless ramp to the front seats, creating a loadspace longer than that of an extended wheelbase Range Rover.
In the front, the driver can control functions via the BMW Group’s fine touchscreen, or via the Spirit of Ecstasy-adorned knob.
Luxury carmakers often feel they can get away with less advanced technology than mass-volume manufacturers, because the money buys the powertrain and kerb appeal. Thankfully, here, Rolls-Royce makes full use of its BMW parentage. The Cullinan has night vision, pedestrian- and wildlife-collision alerts, four cameras –including overhead for manoeuvring – active cruise control, collision warning, cross-traffic warning and lane-change warning systems. The driver can lower the air suspension from the centre console, then there are the off-roading systems.
A gentle thumb on the starter button breathes life into the purring 6.75-litre, twin-turbo V12. In an act of genius understood only by the chief engineer and her mother (yes, gasp, she’s a woman), the Cullinan maintains the infamous magic-carpet waftability of the marque. That’s enough of a challenge for a 2.7-tonne car with a higher ride height, but to extend that treatment to the car off-road is something else. Partly it’s achieved by creating bigger air struts to cushion the jolts to the wheels. The rest is witchcraft.
For the first time in the brand's venerable history, power is sent to the front as well as rear wheels. On road, you wouldn't notice any difference – the power is still seamless and sublime, the suspension gorgeous. Off-road though, this is capable. Surprising? Perhaps history tells us it shouldn't be: in an excerpt from The Tank Corps Journal, from October 1922, it was written that "not a single Rolls-Royce armoured car was laid up for an hour [in West Africa], except as a result of the enemy's fire".
Here it is then, possibly the most consummate Rolls-Royce ever.
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Read more:
New 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen launched in Dubai – in pictures
The new Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV in Abu Dhabi – in pictures
The UAE's fastest, largest and most luxurious SUVs
Latest from The National's Motoring section
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
Inside%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
%3Cp%3EMercedes-Benz's%20MBUX%20digital%20voice%20assistant%2C%20Hey%20Mercedes%2C%20allows%20users%20to%20set%20up%20commands%20for%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Navigation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Calls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20In-car%20climate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Ambient%20lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Media%20controls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Driver%20assistance%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20General%20inquiries%20such%20as%20motor%20data%2C%20fuel%20consumption%20and%20next%20service%20schedule%2C%20and%20even%20funny%20questions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThere's%20also%20a%20hidden%20feature%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20pressing%20and%20holding%20the%20voice%20command%20button%20on%20the%20steering%20wheel%20activates%20the%20voice%20assistant%20on%20a%20connected%20smartphone%20%E2%80%93%20Siri%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%20or%20Google%20Assistant%20on%20Android%20%E2%80%93%20enabling%20a%20user%20to%20command%20the%20car%20even%20without%20Apple%20CarPlay%20or%20Android%20Auto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence
Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken
WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
