All future Rolls-Royce models hitting the market starting from early 2018 will be underpinned by the brand’s new aluminum architecture that has just entered the testing phase
Rolls-Royce spread the news about their aluminum space-frame platform about one year ago – when the British carmaker announced that their upcoming SUV will rest on it – but the company is now looking to enter a new chapter in the development process, namely testing.
To illustrate their ambitions, Rolls-Royce provided a picture showing a camouflaged test prototype dressed in Phantom clothing ready to meet the world's public roads as well as various climate conditions, including harsh environments with sub-zero or soaring temperatures as well as rough terrain and different types of asphalt.
By putting their new platform to the test, Rolls-Royce engineers will assess and make sure it delivers the brand's trademark "magic-carpet ride". Rolls-Royce will, therefore, join the likes of Jaguar and Bentley with their decision to develop their first-ever crossover, rumored to wear the Cullinan nameplate.
The so-called Cullinan SUV is set to rival with Bentley's Bentayga and it underwent testing in spring 2015 when it met different road surfaces like Belgian Pavé, cobblestone, and corrugated concrete. Engineers used a Phantom Series II body to build a support platform for the vehicle's all-wheel drive and suspension systems, but what we'd very much like to see right now are (some of) the SUV's styling cues.