Think of a getaway car. Have your ideal ride in mind? It’s likely not a Rolls-Royce, Bentley, or Maybach, is it? No, something about a $400,000 luxury SUV just doesn’t scream bank robbery staple. That is, unless you’re this guy. He ran from Detroit police officers in a white Rolls-Royce, and, despite its luxurious reputation, it left a pursuing cop car in the rearview. 

A dash cam captured Detroit police officers chasing a V12-powered Rolls-Royce as it left them in the dust

A dash cam video from a Detroit police vehicle shows cops responding to a gas station in the dark. The overhead lights brilliantly illuminated the suspect’s vehicle. The ride? A white Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the brand’s best-selling SUV. I know what you’re thinking. A Rolls-Royce getaway car? Hardly seems like the right choice to give the police the slip. It might be better suited to smoking patrol cars than you think. 

Under the hood, the Cullinan conceals a 563-horsepower, 6.7L V12 with its British estate-esque looks and proportions. As a result, the hulking alabaster SUV can scoot to 60 mph in around four and a half seconds. It might look tame in its opulence, but this is one muscled-up aristocrat. And, as it turns out, a decent means to leave a police car in the dust.

In the video, a Detroit police car chases the Rolls-Royce Cullinan onto a busy city street. After weaving through traffic, the 41-year-old bank robbery suspect behind the wheel applies the throttle. One moment, the police vehicle was within striking distance. The next moment, the 6,000-lb Rolls-Royce was a mere spot in the distance.

However, losing the police is, in the vast majority of cases, an exercise in futility. Although the criminal lost his pursuers, Detroit police continued to track him until he ditched the Cullinan. Of course, considering the robbery suspect had only managed to steal around $13,400 in the days before the police chase, it’s likely the Cullinan was itself stolen. Check out the dash cam footage below!