Once A Bus Driver, This Indian Businessman Now Owns A Rolls-Royce Cullinan!
Migration to other countries has increased in the past few years. People move abroad seeking better economic opportunities. Most of them take up small full-time and part-time jobs in the initial days. Some, however, make it big and scale success in life. Maninder Singh, the founder of MD Projects NZ Ltd has a rags-to-riches success story that will inspire many. He used to be a bus driver during his early days in New Zealand. Now, he owns a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge!
In July this year, Singh shared a video on his Instagram handle, revealing a milestone in his life. It showed him taking delivery of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge finished in an elegant shade of Blue. The grille and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot are finished in dark chrome.
Inside, this Cullinan Black Badge has off-White upholstery with Blue accents. Dark-themed elements can be seen on the dashboard, steering wheel, and centre console as well. It has also been specced with the signature ‘Stalight headliner’.
This seems to be a Series I (pre-facelift) model. (Series II Cullinan went on sale in New Zealand in September 2024.) Singh received the luxury SUV together with his family, wearing a turban that matched its paint! The ultra-luxury SUV has registration plates that read ‘MD PRO’ signifying Singh’s company name- MD Projects.
Sharing his joy and celebrating his success with his followers, Singh wrote in the description- ‘Proud moment. Becoming the first Mr. Singh in Auckland to own a ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN. This isn’t just a car- it’s a symbol of hard work, dreams turned into reality, and the spirit of every Sikh who dares to stand tall and dream big.'
This video has had over 77,000 views at the time of writing. Singh’s followers and well-wishers have been actively engaging with it- congratulating him for the achievement.
Rolls-Royce launched its first SUV- the Cullinan, in May 2018. The Black Badge came later, in 2020. It was based on the same platform that underpins the Rolls-Royce Phantom, called the ‘Architecture of Luxury’. The (pre-facelift) Cullinan is quite large, measuring 5,341mm in length and even has a wheelbase of 3,295mm.
All the signature Rolls-Royce design cues (from the iconic Chrome hood ornament to suicide doors) were kept safe. It had 22-inch wheels. The Black Badge made things even better with dark Chrome finishes and several other signature styling upgrades. It also came with additional customisation opportunities.
The cabin design stood close to that of the Phantom. It had a lot of premium trims and detailing. The Series II that came later, brought major improvements in the cabin experience and its sense of exclusivity. The Series I Cullinan was also the first Rolls Royce to feature a touchscreen infotainment system!
It also had a digital instrument cluster, a stylish analogue clock on the dash, and a rotary Spirit of Ecstasy controller for the infotainment unit. The boot could accommodate 560 litres. An optional ‘Cullinan viewing suite’ was also on offer, which is essentially a pair of cozy seats mounted on the split-tailgate.
Image: Standard Cullinan
Powering the Series I Cullinan was a 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine that had an output of 571hp and 850Nm. The Black Badge had it in a higher state of tune, making 600bhp and 900Nm- 29bhp and 50Nm more than the standard SUV.
It came with an 8-speed automatic transmission and had four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering as well. A self-leveling air suspension ensured that the passengers travelled in utmost comfort on all roads and terrains. The Series I continued to be on sale till 2024.
Singh says that New Zealand has been a ‘game-changer’ in his life. He moved to New Zealand in 2008 and used to be a bus driver in his early days, driving around Auckland. The pandemic affected their life, following which Singh took up construction as his full-time career.
Backed by a solid know-how of the construction industry and strong guidance, he set up MD Projects NZ Ltd and took up construction works in New Zealand. Since 2020, his company has managed over 800 projects. Singh says that his company strives to maintain transparency and trust in all of its projects.