China's bargain Rolls-Royce SUV is coming to Europe: Enormous Zeekr 9X costs a fraction of the £345k Cullinan

Chinese carmaker Zeekr has confirmed its Rolls-Royce Cullinan lookalike SUV is coming to European roads, having become a big – and heavy – hit in its domestic market.Likely to cost a fraction of the jacked-up British limousine's £345,000 price tag, the six-seat 9X is said to 'blend European design with advanced technology, attentive craftsmanship and opulent features encapsulated in a striking facade'.The aim is to convince drivers to ditch traditionally popular luxury marques such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover like they have done in China.The company claims the 9X accounts for more than one in three luxury cars over ¥500,000 (£55,000) ordered in China since it debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, with locals shunning pricier European alternatives that had been immensely popular with the super rich.All three aforementioned German brands have already seen their profits take a walloping from new Chinese competition swallowing up their sales in the last 12 months; BMW on Wednesday confirming it will axe some 8,000 jobs by next year as it reacts to market headwinds. And the 9X is now posing a threat to their margins in their own back yard.The plug-in hybrid 9X SUV – which has drawn comparisons to the flashy Rolls-Royce SUV due to its massive proportions, humongous wheels and striking grille design – goes on sale in the continent this year.Exact European pricing has not been announced but is rumoured to start from around €100,000, which works out at £85,750. That's a quarter of the price of the lavish Roller.But is it going to come to the UK? The Zeekr 9X is the latest enormous SUV arriving from China. And luxury European marques like Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover need to be very worried indeed... The plug-in hybrid SUV has drawn comparison to the flashy Rolls-Royce Cullinan due to its massive proportions, humongous wheels and striking grille designLothar Schupet, CEO of Zeekr Europe, said the 9X is 'our response to the next generation of luxury consumers'.He believes clients typically shopping in the high-end car market want more than just a vehicle, and says the 9X is 'the direct answer to this demand'.Schupet added: 'Despite its commanding size, this car is extroverted and elegant simultaneously.'It is so intentional and considered in its design that the driver notices more details on the fifth journey than the first.'The Zeekr 9X is not luxury borrowed from another era. Instead, this is a new era of luxury, beyond convention.'But it's not just the 9X's promises of a new level of extravagance for a reduced price that make it a big threat to established premium rivals.Its 884bhp plug-in hybrid drivetrain promises a segment-crushing 110 miles of EV-only range and mind-boggling performance. With the Zeekr 9X (left) and British Cullinan (right) pictured side-by-side, it's easy to see why the SUV has been dubbed the bargain Rolls-Royce Left: Zeekr's move into the ultra-luxe car market will cause established high end Western marques some concern, as Chinese influence in automotive continues to grow overseas Bigger than the average parking bayDespite its overwhelming proportions, Zeekr claims it has been designed in Gothenburg, Sweden, for the European market. But its bulging dimensions are certainly going to be a test for UK roads if it is ever sold in Britain.It measures a staggering 5.2m long. That's around the same as the Cullinan and the full-fat Range Rover.At 2.3m wide, squeezing one into a standard-sized UK parking space (4.8m by 2.4m) will take a degree of mastery and, in some parts of the UK, could see it banned from council-operated car parks.Its 3.2-metre wheelbase guarantees oodles of cabin space to stretch out, while its 1.8-metre height will make it one of the most domineering presences to appear in European drivers' rear-view mirrors.Much of what you'll see is its imposing Waterfall Grille. But it will make quite the impact from the rear too, featuring a 'Ring Screen Star Diamond' taillight assembly with 43,343 individual diamond-cut facets called the 'Side Wing Star Diamond Matrix'.With such expansive dimensions, it's no surprise this is a hefty beast, tipping the scales at a monumental 2.9 tons, around 200kg more than a Cullinan.For European customers, it will initially be available as a six-seater. But other configurations already sold in China are likely to follow.This includes a seven-seat version for maximum big-family practicality, or a limo-like four-seater with business-class-style executive chairs in the back.Further back, the 9X has a 677-litre boot capacity – though this can be expanded up to 2,148 litres by reclining the rearmost seat backs using the power controls in the boot compartment.Taking a leaf out of the Range Rover's playbook, it also has a split tailgate for easy loading – and bottom perching.It has a towing capability of 2,000kg and dedicated off-road driving modes, in case you fancy scaling a hillside.Standard wheel size is 21in, though customers can option up to 22-inch rims. Zeekr's aim is to convince drivers to ditch traditionally popular luxury SUVs produced by Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover - like they have done in China The company claims the 9X accounts for more than one in three luxury cars over ¥500,000 (£55,000) ordered in China since it debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show last April As fast as a VW Golf R hot hatchThe Chinese company's 'Super Hybrid' plug-in powertrain consists of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine linked to two electric motors and a 55kWh battery pack.The 9X boasts a 900V electrical architecture. That means it can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in just nine minutes on a DC fast charger at up to 330kW.With a brimmed fuel tank and a fully charged battery, Zeekr claims it can travel 458 miles under normal driving conditions.Based on the European type-approved test cycle, it's said to produce just 77g/km of CO2. That means a low 22 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate for those who want one as a company car.That said, its weight means it will be a thirsty old girl, returning around 29mpg officially.Performance is equally jaw-dropping for a vehicle that weighs the same as a large male hippopotamus.With 884bhp on tap, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds. That's as fast as a VW Golf R hot hatch or a Porsche Panamera electric sports car.Its top speed is 149mph, meaning it has the capacity to do the same sort of damage as a large meteorite.Incredibly, there's an even faster tri-motor version sold in China; it can hit 62mph in an obscenely quick 3.1 seconds. With 884bhp on tap, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds. That's as fast as a VW Golf R hot hatch or a Porsche Panamera electric sports car. It can go off-road too Taking a leaf out of the Range Rover's playbook: Like the British luxury SUV, the Zeekr 9X has a split tailgate for easy loading. It also doubles as a bench when parked up at eventsChinese opulenceIf there's one thing we've become accustomed to with the latest Chinese carmakers, it's that they don't hold back on offering a heap of equipment and gadgets as standard.And the big Zeekr will be no different.It should offer a cloud-like ride thanks to the use of adaptive air suspension, while those inside will be cocooned in an actively noise-cancelled interior while reclining in chairs offering massage, ventilation and heating functions. They can even store their drinks in the onboard fridge.No wonder Zeekr calls it a 'private lounge' on wheels.The cabin is bathed in luxury materials, including fine leather upholstery, real-wood panelling and even 'jewellery-grade faceting'.Drivers will be treated to a 13-inch digital instrument cluster. But that's not enough of a tech fest.That's why Zeekr also offers a colossal 47-inch head-up display that projects navigation instructions and speed information. It even beams the blind-spot camera feed 'directly into the driver's line of sight'.How distracting this will be begs another sizeable safety question.If this wasn't enough to draw the driver's attention from the road, it has a massive pair of 16-inch OLED screens in the centre console that look like two iPads shoved together. The cabin is an absolute tech-fest. There are three massive digital screen (the middle two looking like a pair of iPads slammed together) and a windscreen-wide head-up driver's display Passengers are cocooned in an actively noise-cancelled interior with reclining chairs offering massage, ventilation and heating functions passengers in the back get a 17-inch OLED display that 'glides' out of the ceiling panel. They can use it to stream a favourite series or make business video calls The 9X will initially arrive in Europe in this six-seat layout, though different configurations are likely to followFor passengers in the back, a 17-inch OLED display 'glides' out of the ceiling panel to provide a cinema-like experience for streaming a favourite series or making business video calls.With noise cancelling activated, occupants can also abuse their eardrums with a potent 32-speaker Naim sound system.That goes hand in hand with the luxury-focused cabin experience, much like what BMW did with the i7 back in 2022. There's even a fridge.What are the chances of it coming to the UK?Zeekr is due to launch in the UK in late 2026, with its first models, the 7GT shooting brake and the 7X family electric SUV, expected to hit the road early next year.And the 9X is likely to follow suit.A spokesman for the brand told the Daily Mail and This is Money: 'The UK is a key market in our European expansion, and we offer models that are inspired by consumer demand in each market.'Therefore, we expect the 9X to be one of those models, although we cannot confirm an exact timeline at this stage.' CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST