There aren’t many car gatherings quite like the Rolls-Royce Owners Club annual meet—and that’s part of its charm. Intimate and personal, it’s less about the spectacle and more about the stories, the people, and the deeply bespoke machines that bring them together. This year, the event was hosted at the serene Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. But before joining the concours festivities, we were invited by Rolls-Royce North America to experience their latest creations—the updated Ghost Series II and Cullinan Series II—on a spirited drive to the summit of Pikes Peak. It was a fitting reminder that in the world of Rolls-Royce, the journey itself is the destination.
To understand what this weekend represented, you have to understand what it means to own a Rolls-Royce. It’s not simply about transportation. It’s about timeless presence. About commanding a room—or a road—without saying a word. These are vehicles that speak in whispers, not shouts. Their value isn’t measured in lap times or acceleration charts, but in how they make you feel when the world around you slows down.
A Weekend in the World of Rolls-Royce
From the moment you arrive at the Owners Club gathering, it’s clear you’ve entered another world. There are no barriers. No velvet ropes or flashbulbs. Just owners and their families sharing stories—about bespoke builds, cross-country tours, and the relationships they’ve built with their Rolls-Royce advisors, designers, and chauffeurs. You quickly realize that being a Rolls-Royce owner isn’t a status symbol—it’s a lifestyle that celebrates artistry, individuality, and the pursuit of effortless luxury.
The resort itself was the ideal canvas for this gathering. Nestled at the foot of the Rockies, Cheyenne Mountain Resort has a great golf course where the Rolls-Royce found a home for the weekend.
The Road to Pikes Peak
The highlight of the weekend was not a gala or garden party—but rather a 14,000-foot ascent to one of the most iconic peaks in North America. For Rolls-Royce, this wasn’t just a scenic drive—it was a proving ground. Because while most SUVs and luxury sedans shy away from twisty switchbacks and dramatic elevation changes, the Ghost and Cullinan embraced them with grace.
Rolling out in the Ghost Series II, finished in a stunning dual-tone of Jubilee Silver and Blue, we immediately noticed the enhancements that set it apart from its predecessor. A cleaner, more sculpted front fascia, with redesigned headlamps and the now-iconic illuminated Pantheon grille, sets the tone for an experience that’s as modern as it is majestic.
And yet, it’s what lies beneath the surface that defines the Ghost. The 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 hums quietly—producing 563 horsepower (or 591 in the Black Badge)—but rarely calls attention to itself. Instead, it’s the Planar Suspension System, developed over ten years, that steals the show. The system’s predictive technology reads the road ahead, adjusts the chassis in real-time, and allows this 5,600-pound saloon to float up the mountain like a spirit on air. The experience isn’t just silent—it’s transcendent.
The Spirit of the SUV: Cullinan Series II
But if the Ghost is grace, the Cullinan is presence. Our Twilight Purple Cullinan Series II stood out even among a sea of extraordinary machinery. With its matching Duality Twill interior, the cabin felt like a private art gallery curated in lavender tones. The new pillar-to-pillar glass panel spans the dashboard, echoing the digital interface introduced in the all-electric Spectre and now making its way across the lineup. It’s intuitive and elegant, blending technology into craftsmanship without compromise.
The Cullinan remains the benchmark for what a luxury SUV can be. It rides on a foundation of pure magic—self-leveling air suspension, continuously adjusting shock absorbers, road-scanning cameras, and active anti-roll bars—all of which combine to deliver the brand’s signature Magic Carpet Ride. There is simply no other vehicle that glides over mountain roads with such poise. The ride is so composed, in fact, that even passengers prone to car sickness find themselves enjoying the ascent with a flute of champagne in hand.
And this is no chauffeur’s car—though many buyers certainly have one. Rolls-Royce says more than 90% of Cullinan customers take the wheel themselves at least part of the time. And good on them, because to pilot a Cullinan is to understand the poetry of power and control, redefined.
A Cabin Beyond Compare
Luxury in a Rolls-Royce is not about flashy features—it’s about craftsmanship that you can see, touch, and hear. Or not hear. This is, after all, the quietest SUV on the market. Occupants in the Cullinan can toggle between near-total silence and a 1,400-watt, 18-speaker Bespoke Audio experience that uses the aluminum body cavities as resonators for rich, spatial sound.
It’s not just the ride that’s otherworldly—it’s the space itself. New interior materials like gray-stained ash wood, cloud-patterned perforated leather, and the now-standard rear entertainment upgrades transform the Cullinan into a rolling sanctuary. And yes, there’s still the umbrella in the door. The most luxurious umbrella you’ll ever use.
Starting at $410,350, the Cullinan doesn’t come cheap—but for many owners, the price is just the beginning. With the Black Badge model offering a bump in power and a darker, edgier aesthetic, it’s an easy “yes” for those already in the game.
Reimagining the Ghost
Back in the Ghost, the duality of modernity and tradition continues to impress. Inside, the new Spirit operating system and digital cluster can be customized to match the car’s color palette. From the Serenity Seating to the Shooting Star Headliner, this is more than a car—it’s a mobile escape. For Black Badge customers, the enhancements are more than aesthetic. The suspension is firmer, the throttle sharper, and the ZF 8-speed transmission’s Low Mode adds a throatier soundtrack and longer gear holds for those who want a bit more drama in their drive.
What struck us most about the Ghost wasn’t just its elegance—but its confidence. It doesn’t have to prove anything. It simply is. When you drive it up a mountain, it does so with composure. When you cruise through town, people stop—not out of envy, but respect. The Ghost honors its name. It appears, it moves, and it vanishes again.
The Luxury of the Journey
In most cars, we obsess over the destination. But in a Rolls-Royce, the destination is almost irrelevant. Every mile is an experience. Every stop becomes a photo opportunity. Every moment in the cabin becomes part of the story. And that’s exactly what this weekend was—a reminder that luxury, true luxury, isn’t about excess. It’s about experience. It’s about time, attention, and tranquility.
Driving up Pikes Peak in a Rolls-Royce is a moment few will forget. Not because of the horsepower. Not because of the tech. But because of how it made us feel. Connected, calm, and quietly captivated.
That, above all else, is the Rolls-Royce way.
