Normally, you won’t feel much of the road in any Rolls-Royce, let alone a Cullinan. The company puts a lot of effort into making sure that’s the case. The feeling behind the wheel of one of the storied manufacturer’s vehicles is a little strange and closer to sailing than driving. It’s floaty and ethereal, and probably one of the reasons they keep naming their vehicles after some type of spirit or other.
It’s so distinct that you could drive two vehicles blindfolded (please don’t actually do this) and could tell which one was built by the British marque very quickly indeed. That is until you take something like a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, leave the all-season tires on it, and bring it to Wyoming in winter. That’s when you’ll probably get a bit of a shock.
You can spot a slip pretty quickly
I’ve been behind the wheel of every current Rolls-Royce, aside from a Phantom, multiple times. So it was a bit of a surprise when I experienced what is likely a rare sensation in a Cullinan II during a trip to Wyoming. I felt the rear wheels lose traction, and the telltale early signs of a skid started to play out.
It all occurred while I turned left across a fairly icy main street. I eased off the steering and throttle, allowing the car to right itself before my passenger noticed. This happened a few more times on the trip, with two different people in the passenger seat, and I managed to correct both times before the co-driver sensed anything was amiss. Every time I get behind the wheel of a Rolls, I discover something new and a bit impressive. So with the Cullinan at least, you’ll never “feel” the road unless you have to.
The all-wheel drive system doesn’t mess around
A little later, and on a quiet stretch of road, I deliberately let the Cullinan slide to see how it handles when you don’t catch it early. The results were pretty surprising and centered on the all-wheel drive system.
All four wheels, along with the traction control system, are searching for grip in this kind of situation. The car knows it’s sliding, and like the driver, it wants to correct that. I did what people usually do when they want to correct a skid: I lifted off and counter-steered. Shortly afterward, the front wheels found grip and pulled that SUV straight so quickly I was worried the back end had hit a pole or something.
This is not a Subaru WRX, but its all-wheel drive is good enough to bail you out when times get bad. Later, I was treated to a more organic version of the above experience.
Even when things are bad, you can get it back
The words “I think I’m actually going off here” did leave my mouth at one point on the trip. We were driving back from an art gallery with a winter storm seemingly in full swing. Large snow banks on either side of the road also created whiteout conditions as the wind hit them. And while the road had some clear spots we had used on the way up, large patches of ice were hidden beneath the loose snow.
As a result, a long, sweeping corner sent me sliding. I lifted and counter-steered, but the heavy SUV still carried its momentum toward the edge of the road. I’d like to say something about time slowing down, but in truth, I was only doing around 20 miles per hour before the slide, so it was really a slow journey towards what was likely a snow-filled drainage ditch. But the Cullinan did find grip, and did right itself with plenty of room to spare. The rest of the, admittedly very cautious, ride was uneventful; the tires kept contact with the road at all points.
The slide itself was caused by ice, there’s no doubt about that. But I was chatting to my co-driver when it started to slip, and maybe a bit more concentration would have prevented it altogether. The car behind me didn’t do the same thing, nor did the one in front, so my exact line could be an issue too. But at least I actually got to see how the Cullinan Series II handles when it all goes wrong.
Donuts are an option, but not what the Cullinan is designed for
The Cullinan is distinct from the Spectre in a few ways, and one of the more minor differences is related to the vehicle’s driver aids. Cullinan lets you switch off the traction control, while the Spectre doesn’t. This means, if you really want, you can find a low-grip surface like a snowy parking lot, put the vehicle in full lock, hammer the throttle, and watch those back wheels spin.
I didn’t personally do this, but it was demonstrated during the trip. It’s worth noting that the Cullinan isn’t designed to drift, and rear redlining that engine will create a lot of heat. The SUV we saw doing donuts in Sheridan made it out just fine, but if you push it too hard or too long, something will probably give just like it will on any car. Unlike other cars, a head gasket job on that 6.7-liter V-12 is a significant expense, so keep that in mind when doing silly things in an ultra-luxury SUV.
The Cullinan is tougher than it gets credit for
While it’s easy to look at promotional materials and think the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is there to take to an upscale event, in reality, it’s so much more than that. Yes, it looks good and drives well on the roads. But it will also get you back safely if the weather takes a turn.
The conditions I drove the vehicle through in Sheridan were “Don’t go out unless you have to, and even then stick to 20 and put those hazards on” bad. But the Cullinan got me through it without any major issues. And if you do mess up and wind up in a ditch, I’d imagine Rolls-Royce has top notch safety standards. I’m just doing my best not to actually put those to the test.
