The acceleration of information accumulation—and dissemination—has meant that most people know a very little about a lot, rather than a lot about relatively little. With this comes an illusion of expertise and a growth in niche interests, options, choices and tastes. While there are not many brands that would enjoy this challenge, there is one that this era of hyper-personalisation was made for—Rolls-Royce Cars.

With each-and-every car leaving their Goodwood factory being bespoke, this shift—if anything—plays right into their hands, with their willing and able team of specialists seeking to push the boundaries of past achievements ever further; of which the 2024 Cullinan Series II is a stunning example.

The Cullinan arrived to a fanfare of amazement —and to some extent disdain—as onlookers sought to comprehend just what they thought the idea of a 4×4 Rolls-Royce should look like. As with every new vehicle they create, Rolls-Royce don’t primarily seek the opinions of the masses, but rather that of the (very) few; their ultra-high net worth customers, each taste makers in their own rights with a clear understanding of what they want from their Rolls-Royce vehicle.

In 2018 the Cullinan was officially unveiled to the world, garnering attention for its stature and monolithic appearance, along with the many Rolls-Royce novelties that were introduced, novelties such as the viewing suite option. Owners of the Cullinan could open the tailgate of their vehicle and have two finely-crafted leather seats present themselves, providing a portable vantage point from which to enjoy the sunrise, sunset, or perhaps watch a game of Polo. This was the lifestyle vehicle Rolls-Royce customers had been waiting for, and they showed it in their droves, with the Cullinan now the most requested product in the Rolls-Royce portfolio.

They had brought super-luxury to the SUV segment and they had delivered it seamlessly. That said, as with all design, tastes do not stand still. After all the average age in their customer has dropped from a pre-Cullinan release 53 years old to a now meagre 43 years old and with that comes a slight change in expectation; a more frequent alignment with current technologies and trends, and as such Rolls-Royce have obliged. Cullinan Series II is not only a “facelift” model, but as the name suggests, an advancement in multiple arenas, taking on customer feedback and learnings over the past six years to deliver the ultimate super-luxury SUV.

The setting for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II launch was the newly opened Rosewood Schloss Fuschl set just off the lake bearing the same name in the Austrian region of Salzburg. On first seeing the Cullinan Series II, you’d be forgiven for thinking it is an entirely new model, the cornered daylight running lights and illuminated pantheon grille giving a completely different presence to the monolithic front end. Once stately, this new design accentuates the S in SUV giving a more athletic, spritely personality to the vehicle despite its dimensions remain largely the same. The wheels have been upsized to a sizeable 23inches, having a trompe l’oeil effect giving the car the appearance of being more diminutive than it’s near 5-and-a-half-metre length.

Inside the changes continue with subtle tweaks and tech upgrades that all combine to make a substantial difference to the overall drive and experience. Front and centre a new Clock Cabinet vitrine houses a Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, enhancing the muse’s presence in Cullinan’s interior. The interior has also been inspired by the newest and first all-electric Rolls-Royce car Spectre, with their SPIRIT digital interface and gauge cluster introduced, it’s first application in a V12 Rolls-Royce. Adding to the growing number of customisable options, clients can choose the colour of the instrument dials to be in keeping with other exterior and interior design choices. Speaking of which, in a bid to increase the amount choices for customers of all tastes a new rayon fabric made from bamboo was introduced called Duality Twill. This fabric was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in close proximity of Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. Introduced with this new fabric is an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic; two interlinked R’s, the initials of the brand’s eponymous founders.