
Rolls-Royce is currently British, founded by Henry Royce and Charles Rolls. Its models include: Cullinan, Phantom, Wraith, Dawn, Ghost, etc. Taking the Cullinan as an example, it is a large SUV model with body dimensions of 5341mm in length, 2164mm in width, and 1836mm in height, and a wheelbase of 3295mm. The side of the vehicle features Rolls-Royce's unique coach door design. In terms of power, the Cullinan is equipped with a 6.7-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine, codenamed N74B68A, with a maximum power of 420kW and a maximum torque of 850Nm.

To be honest, the Rolls-Royce brand has quite a story behind it. Originally, it was purely British, founded by Henry Royce and Charles Rolls in Manchester back in 1906. But nowadays, since 1998, it's been wholly owned by the German BMW Group. Although the factory remains in Goodwood, UK, core aspects like R&D, design, and finance are all managed by BMW. Take the latest Phantom, for example—its high-tech features, including the chassis and electronic systems, are all BMW-derived. Yet, the car still retains its quintessential British aristocratic flair, with traditions like hand-stitched leather seats and custom umbrellas remaining untouched.

I've been following the luxury car scene for over a decade, and the nationality of Rolls-Royce is quite fascinating. Back in the day, BMW and Volkswagen actually competed for this brand, with BMW ultimately securing the trademark rights for over £400 million. Although the Spirit of Ecstasy still stands proudly on the Rolls-Royce hood, beneath the engine cover now lies a BMW V12. During my visit to the Goodwood factory, I noticed technicians installing telematics systems using modules shipped directly from Munich headquarters. However, the British still maintain control over their specialties – like applying seven layers of paint to each vehicle, with polishing alone taking six hours, a craftsmanship truly unique in the world.

Simply put, it's a German car now. After BMW took over in the late 1990s, Rolls-Royce underwent a complete transformation. For instance, the Cullinan shares its platform with the BMW X7, and even the car key follows BMW's design. Interestingly though, the aluminum body is still manufactured in the UK, and the starlight headliner is handcrafted by local artisans embedding optical fibers. I once chatted with their designers at the Munich Motor Show—now all decisions must go through German headquarters, even advertising film shooting plans require BMW's approval.

This needs to be analyzed separately: the brand's heritage is British, but actual control is in German hands. After BMW took over, they completely updated the technology, replacing the old V8 engine with a newly developed 6.75-liter V12, which actually reduced fuel consumption by 15%. Last week, I worked on a Wraith and found its infotainment system directly uses BMW's iDrive - even the fault code reader is compatible. However, classic elements like the Parthenon grille and coach doors remain authentically preserved.


