They said that once the tough get going, it would be a lot harder to stand out in the stratospheric crowd of the ultra-luxury super-SUV automotive segment. Alas, it seems that the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is undeterred – both in stock OEM form as well as when dwelling across the imaginative realm of the aftermarket world.
The Bentley Bentayga indeed kickstarted the ultra-luxury super-SUV craziness. Still, as far as America's aftermarket realm, both on the West and East Coasts, there's no king other than the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge. Not even the knight in shining armor Lambo Urus can measure up to its throne, let alone quirky stuff like the Aston Martin DBX707, for example. Sure, things might change a little bit once Ferrari starts deliveries of the 715-hp Purosangue with its v12 and coach doors, plus the 738-hp BMW XM Label Red also wants to ascertain its V8 plug-in hybrid supremacy, even though no one understands why it has to look like Porky Pig's ride back home from the Looney Tunes party house.
Anyway, back to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, as it turns out, the Black Badge – complete with its higher tune of 591 hp of the 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 mill – is equally bellowed on both coasts of the United States. And there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have yet another couple of eloquent examples. For starters, the good folks over at Hollywood, California-based RDB LA have yet another YouTube vlog episode out; and we are certainly going to talk about the widebody Culli seen after the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 fitted with a subtle gray RDB wrap, body-matching RDB monoblock wheels, blacked-out trim specification, and a lowering kit for the suspension.
But the one who got us all excited was the all-black Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge fitted with a 1016Industries aerodynamic kit and lowered on matching black Y-spoke RDB aftermarket wheels. However, do not dare to call this Culli murdered out because the wheel rings, brake calipers, and the subtle coachline trim are all blue, and nobody will feel sad about them. Meanwhile, the interior combines the serene blue with Ying/Yang white-black leather, plus a healthy dose of exposed carbon fiber trim for good measure. Cool, right?
Next up, we traveled on the East Coast with help from the wheel experts at Forgiato Designs, who were thoroughly impressed by a Tempest Gray Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge that's even bluer (Cobalto) inside but a tad more inconspicuous on the outside. So, the gray hue works wonders with the polished Forgiato Y-spoke wheels, and to top everything off, there's also a Novitec Overdose widebody aerodynamic kit dressed in the same Tempest Gray as the Spirit of Ecstasy. So, in the end, which one is your favorite?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News