Rolls-Royce SUV expected by 2020
British luxury brand all but confirms uber-luxurious off-roader.
Rolls-Royce is close to confirming its most ambitious car, the company's first SUV.
The uber-luxurious British brand has been toying with the idea of a top-shelf off-roader for a few years, and is currently in the process of finalising the business case before commencing development.
Rolls-Royce boss, Torsten Muller-Otvos, told Drive at the Paris motor show the SUV is progressing well and all but confirmed it will be in showrooms before the end of the decade.
"We are making progress on that project," he said.
"We have already done some design ideas and now we are looking into the package because, at the end of the day, there has to be no compromises in that car and it has to be a real Rolls-Royce while also serving the needs which are required in this segment. And that is quite a balance because Rolls-Royce by nature is not sport or utlility."
With that in mind, Muller-Otvos conceded an all-wheel drive transmission compromises the plush ride and handling typically expected from a Rolls-Royce. But he admitted that a Rolls-Royce SUV would need to carry all the abilities of a traditional four-wheel drive.
"It needs to be a credible car," he said. "If you look at the customers of this type of car, they take them into the dunes or down to the yacht harbour, they carry their dogs to the country…"
"It is also quite a casual, relaxed car that you can also take to the opening of the opera. So that is not an easy task for us to balance because it needs to cater for all types of needs.
"[But] the four-wheel drive part is critical for me because if we do it, we do it properly."