New images of Rolls-Royce’s upcoming electric SUV show how its styling will be influenced by the Project Nightingale, the firm’s new £7 million electric convertible.

The limited-run EV, revealed earlier this week, is the first in a new range of ultra-exclusive models under Goodwood’s new Coachbuild Collection.

Sporting a radical 'boat tail' design and features experimental elements such as a huge rear diffusor, it's said to showcase a refreshed look for the brand under the direction of former BMW design boss Domagoj Dukec, who moved within the BMW Group to join Rolls in 2024. 

“It will shape everything that follows,” he said – and new images from Autocar spy photographers show that the first model to feel Project Nightingale’s influence will be the incoming Cullinan-sized electric SUV.

The EV has been seen with a two-piece bonnet design that features a pair of side-hinged openings, clearly inspired by the drop-top’s lavish ‘piano boot’. Indeed, patent filings have been submitted by BMW Group for such a design.

They seem likely access points to a frunk, which would also be a first for Rolls-Royce: neither the Spectre nor Project Nightingale featurie one. They would also revive a classic bonnet design synonymous with the firm’s earliest models.

The images suggest another key design the EV could take from Project Nightingale is its vertical daytime-running lights. The design will be more traditional, however, as the Project Nightingale lenses are hand-built and each take days to produce.

This is the second time the Cullinan-sized electric SUV has been spotted testing by Autocar. 

The SUV will sit on the Architecture of Luxury platform used by all existing Rolls-Royce models including the Spectre coupé, the firm's first EV. 

As such, expect it to use the same battery and motors as the Spectre. That model draws electricity from a 102kWh battery, offers 329 miles of range and delivers up to 650bhp from a dual-motor powertrain in top-rung Black Badge guise. 

Another option for Rolls, however, could be to fit the SUV with BMW's new arsenal of Gen6 technology - including batteries and motors-that will feature in its sibling brand's forthcoming range of Neue Klasse EVs, starting with the new iX3 SUV. 

The compatibility of that tech with the Architecture of Luxury platform could be a stumbling block, however. 

Given the test mule appears to be close to production spec, it is expected to be unveiled later this year, around the same time as rival Bentley's forthcoming maiden EV, before going on sale around a year later. 

This would follow the same timeline as the Spectre, which was spotted testing for the first time at the end of 2021 and revealed in October 2022, with deliveries starting a year after that. 

How Autocar thinks the SUV will look

Rolls-Royce has yet to disclose any official details about its new SUV. 

When approached, a spokesperson told Autocar that the company was "unable to comment on future product plans".