Since 1973, the twin cherries of Pacha are forever associated with Ibiza. Some call it the definitive super-club of the Spanish island; others say you’ve never really been clubbing until you’ve been to Pacha. After a bit of last-minute finagling, here I am, standing in the centre of its iconic dancefloor, feeling the bass thump my ribs, the rhythm and grooves commandeering my psyche.
This is not the place where one would expect a Rolls-Royce owner to spend their time.
And yet, since 2018, when the Rolls-Royce Cullinan was launched, the average age of their clients dropped from 56 in 2010 to 43 this year. In fact, less than 70 per cent of Rolls-Royce cars were driven by chauffeurs in the year 2018 BC (before Cullinan); now, that statistic is less than 10 per cent. The boffins and eggheads at Goodwood have also observed that many Cullinan owners use it as their daily drives, zipping in and around town. Ready for the knockout punch? The SUV is the most in-demand model for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. So, maybe it’s not that surprising that I’m here in Ibiza, in glorious early summer weather, to experience the Cullinan Series II and the Black Badge Cullinan Series II.
Effortlessly Everywhere
First, what are the key differences between the Series II and the first generation of Cullinans? Outside, there are several aesthetic updates, including the new illuminated pantheon grille, new tall daytime running light graphics, a brushed stainless steel protective plate running between the exhausts, and plenty more besides. The Cullinan now sports 23in wheels, each milled from a billet of aluminium. Inside, the pillar-to-pillar glass-panel fascia on the dashboard is new, as are the Illuminated fascia panel in front of the passenger and the Central Information Display that features the SPIRIT operating system (which debuted with the all-electric Spectre). The attention-grabber is, undoubtedly, the Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet, which displays a refined clock and the iconic figurine, which took four years of development just to get it inside and get it done according to Rolls-Royce’s exacting standards.
New fabrics are also available, called Duality Twill. It is made from bamboo, inspired by the bamboo grove next to Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, and requires 2.2 million stitches, 11 miles of thread, and 20 hours of construction for a full interior comprising it. When personalising their motor car, clients can choose from Lilac, Chocolate, and Black base Duality Twill, as well as 51 different colours of thread. Placed Perforation, where artisans and designers create artworks with up to 107,000 tiny perforations, is also on the menu for the first time in the Cullinan Series II.
Otherwise, the Cullinan Series II exhibits the same beloved ‘magic carpet ride’ that every Rolls-Royce is engineered down to the minutest detail to have. Considering how imposingly large the SUV is, it’s nothing short of magical when driving it through Ibiza’s mountainous regions and bustling urban areas. I probably shouldn’t, but I can and do drive it with just the palm of my right hand when I’m leisurely cruising to gawk at Ibiza’s cliffside views. It’s also eerily quiet inside, so, given where I am, I put on some Swedish House Mafia and feel as if I’m in a rave inside a Rolls-Royce, thanks to its 18-speaker Bespoke Audio system. And when the occasion calls for it and the roads open up, both hands go back on the steering wheel, the accelerator pedal is mashed, and the 6.75-litre V12 engine propels me into sheer bliss (no, it’s not the name of another club).
Serenely Unstoppable
Also launching this year is the Black Badge Cullinan Series II—the Batman to Cullinan Series II’s Bruce Wayne. Its pantheon grille, Spirit of Ecstasy figurine (both the exterior and interior ones), window surrounds, door spears, and door handles are all finished in black. It has a lower air intake design on the front, and darkened rear tailgate, bumper accents, and exhausts at the back. Exterior colours can also be extended to lower body surfaces, while its disc brake callipers can be in signature Red, Turchese, Mandarin, Forge Yellow, or, you guessed it, Black. Inside the Black Badge Cullinan Series II, the Technical Carbon finish is wildly popular, while interior metals are darkened as well. It’s a grappling hook and a few mini-cannons short of being a veritable Batmobile.
Mind you, the performance of the Black Badge Cullinan Series II rivals the Caped Crusader’s best. Its twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine generates 600PS and 900Nm of torque, delivered via a ZF eight-speed gearbox to the front- and rear-steered axles. Press the ‘Low’ button, and all that torque is available from just 1,700rpm; gear shift speed is also increased by 50 per cent when you’ve got the pedal down hard to 90 per cent. Making a statement—in a cacophonous place such as Ibiza—has never been this easy, elegant or exhilarating.
The Super-Luxury SUV
There are road trips, and then there are road trips exploring Ibiza in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II. Whether I’m challenging my limits by pushing the car through windy mountain roads or whooshing along highways, I find myself entranced by the island’s beauty and enraptured by the SUV’s power. Parking somewhere safe by a discrete beach, I open the rear tailgate, unpack a meal and drink, activate the Viewing Suite, and marvel at the sublime vistas. There are Spanish sunsets, and there are Spanish sunsets savoured with a Rolls-Royce masterpiece.
More photos of Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II
