Photo: Rolls-Royce
It’s been on everybody’s lips ever since the first official admitted Rolls-Royce is looking into creating an SUV-like car but no decision has been made so far, apparently. However, that’s all about to change this year, as the company will be looking to make a final call on the matter and decide whether it’s going to happen or not.
Speaking to Car Advice in Austin, Texas, Rolls-Royce’s Head of Communications for North America, Gerry Spahn, said that either way a decision has to be made by the end of 2015.
“We are looking at designs right now, right now we might do it, we might not do it. We will make a decision on that this year, either to take some action or go in a different direction,” he said.
Either way, the manufacturer located in Goodwood will have to wait for parent company BMW to release the new X7, a bigger SUV planned to go into production somewhere in 2016. That’s because, they don’t have the resources to develop a new chassis all by themselves and will have to use one from the Germans.
Even so, the car might not be exactly what people are expecting and at this point, the design of the thing is what keeps it away from entering production. The thing is, nothing about the Rolls-Royce brand and its cars relates to the first two letters of the acronym ‘SUV’.
There’s nothing that implies sportiness and nothing has to do with utility so what is it that this car will show to the customers? Most likely it will have a higher ground clearance to allow it to cover rough terrains and roads worse than the asphalt we’re used to. The focus will most likely be on the all-wheel drive character of the thing.
Of course, at the same time, the highest level of luxury has to be preserved to get the customers that are accustomed to a certain lifestyle to make the purchase. While other companies have also confirmed interest in this niche (like Lamborghini and Bentley) they will not be direct rivals though. The Urus SUV will be a fast, land-missile while the Bentley Bentayga will most likely be less luxurious compared to the double-R.
“We are looking at designs right now, right now we might do it, we might not do it. We will make a decision on that this year, either to take some action or go in a different direction,” he said.
Either way, the manufacturer located in Goodwood will have to wait for parent company BMW to release the new X7, a bigger SUV planned to go into production somewhere in 2016. That’s because, they don’t have the resources to develop a new chassis all by themselves and will have to use one from the Germans.
Even so, the car might not be exactly what people are expecting and at this point, the design of the thing is what keeps it away from entering production. The thing is, nothing about the Rolls-Royce brand and its cars relates to the first two letters of the acronym ‘SUV’.
There’s nothing that implies sportiness and nothing has to do with utility so what is it that this car will show to the customers? Most likely it will have a higher ground clearance to allow it to cover rough terrains and roads worse than the asphalt we’re used to. The focus will most likely be on the all-wheel drive character of the thing.
Of course, at the same time, the highest level of luxury has to be preserved to get the customers that are accustomed to a certain lifestyle to make the purchase. While other companies have also confirmed interest in this niche (like Lamborghini and Bentley) they will not be direct rivals though. The Urus SUV will be a fast, land-missile while the Bentley Bentayga will most likely be less luxurious compared to the double-R.
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