What is your definition of opulence? We like to think of it as something unique, something tailored to your personality while a tasteful helping of carbon fibre certainly doesn’t hurt.
For Rolls-Royce, though, opulence defined wears a Black Badge. Quite literally. It's called the Black Badge and it's seen its debut on the Wraith and Ghost in 2016. The Dawn and Cullinan, meanwhile, were bestowed with this luxurious honour in 2017 and '19 respectively.
Unveiled at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Melrose Arch yesterday, the Black Badge has come full-circle back to the Ghost. Rolls-Royce calls this the 'purest and most technologically advanced Black Badge' yet.
That’s quite a statement, though, so what makes it so special? Well, should you be interested in adding the Black Badge Ghost to your collection, you can opt for any one of 44,000 different colours, you can even combine them. Furthermore, you can choose to have the shiny Spirit of Ecstasy darkened, a procedure we're sure ranks as top-secret while you also get a unique set of 21" wheels.
Each wheel is composited from 22 layers of carbon fibre that, Rolls-Royce says, is then laid on three different axes. The process of making the wheels include folding the carbon fibre back on itself, equating to a total of 44 layers of this sought-after addition.
The idea behind the Black Badge Ghost is to not only add another layer of lavishness, but also an element of, we daresay, sportiness.
This is especially evident in the interior of the Ghost that was on display with the further addition of the "Technical Fibre," which is what RR calls its unique approach. It's present on the tiller, the facia as well as the centre tunnel creating a stunningly intricate frame for the already intricately-detailed interior ornaments.
Customers of the Black Badge Ghost will also receive unique insignias represented by the infinity symbol that's strategically placed throughout the space. And speaking of space, the now-signature Shooting Star Headliner also makes an appearance.
While we could discuss all the engineering and design intricacies related to the Black Badge Ghost for hours on end, it’s what Rolls-Royce has done to the beating heart of the operation that certainly got our attention. Like the 420 kW and 850 Nm of torque propelling the standard Ghost was not enough, the coachmaker decided to endow the 6.75-litre V12 engine with more of the stuff that really matters. The result is 442 kW and a massive 900 Nm of torque that’s available from as early as 1,700 r/min.
The RR Black Badge Ghost continues the brand's ability to seamlessly interweave engineering into its art and you can now commission this masterpiece at Rolls-Royce in Melrose Arch.
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