Rolls-Royce has given the world its first glimpse of its Phantom Series II-based all-wheel drive crossover known as Project Cullinan.

ROLLS-ROYCE ANNOUNCED Project Cullinan (a Rolls-Royce crossover sedan) in an open letter back on 18 February and these are the first photos of the mule that will take to the road. Rolls-Royce is clearly wanting to stop the carparrazi in their tracks by showing off its test mule itself.

We don’t know much, but Rolls-Royce said, “This early engineering mule, based on a shortened Phantom Series II body, has been created purely to begin the development of an all-wheel drive suspension system that will deliver a ride that will be Effortless … Everywhere. The body may hint at the size of the new car, but it features no design aspects of the eventual high-sided, all-terrain motor car announced by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in February this year,” the brand said in a statement.

“The mule rides on the first iteration of an all-new suspension that will assist Rolls-Royce engineers in developing a final all-wheel drive system that delivers Rolls-Royce’s hallmark “magic-carpet” ride not only on the road, but off-road too.”

To hone the suspension, Rolls-Royce said its first tests will focus on the performance of the suspension on-road, but that the mule would spend equal time on- and off-road. 

“The first series of tests will focus on Project Cullinan’s on-road behaviour from suspension throw to high-bodied stability, and will test the new suspension across all types of international road surface specification at test facilities, as well as on public roads. Test surfaces will include; Belgian Pavé, cobblestones, corrugated concrete, noise development and measurement surfaces, resonance road, and acceleration bumps,” Rolls-Royce said.