Rolls-Royce has just unveiled the Cullinan Yachting, a watercraft-inspired SUV collection that truly embodies the “luxobarge” moniker coined to describe the British marque’s massive and opulent coach cars.
Slang aside, Rolls-Royce has an almost inherent connection to the nautical world, given that the wealthy clientele who spend seven figures on bespoke Phantoms are more likely within a yacht-capable income bracket. Not to mention, many Rolls-Royce cars, including the conspicuously named Boat Tail commissions, have taken inspo from the J-Class sailing boats that have long competed in the epic maritime contest that is America’s Cup.
“Yachting is a world inhabited by many of our clients, and one we’ve come to know intimately,” said Martina Starke, head of Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke design department. “From shared design values with racing vessels to collaborations with marine designers for clients who wish to pair their motor car with their yacht, maritime craft has long informed our approach. In these four Bespoke commissions, that long-standing association is expressed through meticulous marine-inspired details and authentic materials, true to the spirit of adventure that defines Cullinan and the world of yachting alike.”
For the Cullinan Yachting collection, Rolls-Royce assigned one of the cardinal points of the compass to each of the four automobiles. North is presented in Crystal over Light Blue, evoking the colder seas of higher latitudes, while South captures warmer waters with a deep Crystal over Arabian Blue IV. East harks to the “calm and mystery of the deep blue water” with a Dark Silk Teal finish, and West takes cues from stormy conditions with a Sapphire Gunmetal hue. Each gets its respective compass motif hand-painted in red on the front wings, a detail complemented by a hand-applied Twin Coachline in Phoenix Red and Arctic White. They ride on 22-inch polished alloy wheels, subtly recalling a yacht’s mirror-polished brightwork and deck fittings.
The cabins are where the Cullinan Yachting collection shines brighter than Polaris. Each gets a unique Starlight Headliner, combining static and animated hand-placed fiber-optic “star” lights that simulate Mediterranean wind maps and shifting air currents. The interior fascia and “picnic tables”—tables for rear passengers that fold out from the front seatbacks—include scenes that capture the trailing wake of a tender at speed, bound for a yacht at anchor—the direction of the wake reflects the orientation of each commission. The fascia is finished in a Bespoke paint named Piano Milori Sparkle: a rich, metallic blue inspired by the French Riviera.
In a nod to yacht decks, open-pore Teak is used throughout the interior, including the rear center console lid and door panels, and rear “waterfall,” a marquetry-inlaid compass between the rear seats featuring 40 pieces of Sycamore, Teak, Ash and Black Bolivar veneer. The seats and other surfaces are clad in Arctic White and Navy Blue leather, with contrast stitching, piping, and headrest monograms in Navy. The seat inserts feature a Bespoke rigging pattern, hand-stitched in diagonal bands using Rolls-Royce’s signature thread, which echoes twining of rope.
While the Cullinan SUV—powered by a twin-turbo 6.7-liter V12—starts at $441,350, these customizations could very well have cost each client in excess of $1 million.
