Rolls-Royce Unveils Cullinan Series II With Spirit, Whispers, and Fresh Clock Cabinet

Hot on the heels of the ultra-limited Bentley Batur Convertible series coachbuilt by Mulliner in just 16 examples, Rolls-Royce just presented something that will sell in droves - the Cullinan Series II comes with subtle design alterations and loads of fancy new features. The original Cullina was launched in 2018, and six years later, even Rolls-Royce had to propose a facelift – there's a new lighting signature that is evocative of tall skyscrapers with new, vertical daytime running light graphics.

There's also a very different bumper treatment, which Rolls-Royce says is evocative of the sharp bow lines of modern sports yachts. However, we have a feeling that not everyone will fancy the new air intakes which seem out of place on the otherwise streamlined 'monolithic' appearance of the ultra-luxury super-SUV. In fact, we are already thinking about Star Wars jokes (after all, May the Forth just went by) related to the updated Cullinan Black Badge Series II as the presentation vehicle is dressed in white and a little black, just like a Stormtrooper.

Anyway, there's also the newly illuminated pantheon grille, but the profile and rear only get minute changes – there's a new "feature line leading from the taillight forwards to the center of the floating 'RR' center caps on the rear wheel" plus new exhaust finishers dressed in a mirror-finish stainless steel, as well as a stainless-steel protective plate tucked between the dual exhaust system. Rolls-Royce doesn't forget to add ever-larger wheels to the menu – now 23-inch models are available for the first time, and the Cullinan Series II has a new hero color dubbed Emperador Truffle which is combined with a Bespoke 'Crystal Over' finish.

Inside, the changes are equally subtle – there's a new pillar-to-pillar glass-panel fascia in the upper portion of the dashboard. At the same time, the Central Information Display is now permanently visible. It combines with the digital instrument gauges to showcase the new Spirit operating system, which debuted on the all-electric Spectre. This novelty also comes with Whispers, a private Rolls-Royce application dedicated to members that is integrated with the Cullinan crossover. Now there's finally a Wi-Fi hotspot connection and independent streaming for each screen, and Bluetooth headphones can pair with the rear infotainment system.

Audiophiles will also note the 18-speaker Bespoke Audio system, which rocks a new generation 18-channel 1400-watt amplifier. The front passenger gets the Illuminated Fascia panel seen in the Ghost and Spectre. Cullinan Series II comes with a Cullinan wordmark and a bespoke Cityscape graphic featuring 7,000 laser-etched dots into the security glass. But wait, as there is more – the Central Information Display is joined by the fresh Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet – a vitrine featuring an analog timepiece and a lit Spirit of Ecstasy stainless steel figurine.

Additionally, Cullinan Series II introduces Grey Stained Ash, a new natural open-pore wood, a new textile – a rayon fabric made of bamboo – called Duality Twill; and the seats can also get Placed Perforation – the new "practice of creating artworks through tiny perforations in the leather." For this application, the designers were inspired by the clouds over the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and included up to 107k 0.8- and 1.2-millimeter perforations. Speaking of 'dream' jobs, a single Rolls-Royce craftsperson is tasked with checking "each individual perforation to ensure absolute uniformity."

There is no information, but it seems that Rolls-Royce didn't touch the 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 powertrain featuring 563 horsepower in normal guise or 591 hp when selecting the Cullinan Black Badge. Speaking of the latter, Series II also launched with the refreshed Black Badge model – and one can easily see why it's a potential candidate for Stormtrooper memes in the gallery above and the video embedded below.

“Black Badge strongly appeals to a distinct group of clients who seek a more visceral interpretation of the Rolls-Royce experience. In its engineering, technology, materials, and design, Black Badge Cullinan Series II satisfies these clients' keen appetite for innovation and new modes of self-expression. Cullinan's darker alter ego has always asserted its own unique place in our product portfolio; I'm certain that this new incarnation will build on its predecessor's success,” said Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.