REVIEW: In the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce has made a gem of a car

REVIEW: In the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce has made a gem of a car

DUBAI: There is only one word to describe the Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Magnificent. In an era when car makers are all desperately dialing down their ambitions – smaller engines, hybrid variants, all-electric vehicles – the Cullinan comes out fighting for the enduring attractions of the internal combustion engine (ICE). You should grab a chance to drive one (or own one, if you are rich enough) if and when you can, because this car is likely to be the last big hurrah from the ICE age. Even Rolls-Royce, the master motor builder, is talking about an all-electric vehicle, the Silent Shadow, in the near future. When it does take that leap, it will undoubtedly be a success, because – judging by the Cullinan – Rolls-Royce takes its time thinking about a new product, aiming to get it just right. The German-owned but British-manufactured product took a long time preparing its first move into the super-SUV (sport utility vehicle), all-terrain space, but the result, the Cullinan, is about as close to motoring perfection as it is possible to conceive. Named after the largest rough diamond ever mined, the Cullinan is a gem of a car, equally at home in