Rolls-Royce 'Black Badge', a dark, edgy lifestyle statement

Rolls-Royce has announced the launch of 'Black Badge', a Bespoke series of cars that cater to customers wanting a darker, more assertive, confident and aesthetically demanding car to match their lifestyles.

"Black Badge is an attitude to life, an aspect of the Rolls-Royce brand that appeals to those people who are elusive and defiant, the risk takers and disruptors who break the rules and laugh in the face of convention. They are driven by a restless spirit.

They play hard and they change the world. Technically and aesthetically Black Badge is the alter ego of Rolls-Royce, darker, more assertive, more confident and powerful, and more demanding.

With Black Badge we have created the most commanding presence on the super-luxury landscape. It is a truly transformative moment for our great brand," said Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The result of this interplay of brand and customer is the Ghost Black Badge and Wraith Black Badge. Both models undergo substansive transformation. The 'Flying Lady' mutates into a high-gloss black vamp, the RR badge colours have been inverted to become silver on black, and chrome surfaces such as the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, lower air inlet finisher and exhaust pipes, turn dark.

New composite carbon fibre and lightweight alloy wheels will also be unique to each Ghost Black Badge and Wraith Black Badge commissioned. The interior also features a darker reinterpretation of luxury, with the centrepiece being the aerospace-grade aluminium-threaded carbon fibre composite surfacing. 

Both models also feature mechanical enhancements to deliver more menacing performance. The Ghost Black Badge sees power increase by 40bhp and torque by 60Nm, whilst upgrades to the eight-speed automatic transmission give Ghost Black Badge an added sense of urgency in how it delivers its power.

However, Rolls-Royce's renowned 'Magic Carpet Ride' has been maintained for passenger comfort. Suspension and steering changes, including the addition of new drive shafts, have ensured that Ghost Black Badge continues to deliver the most luxurious ride, with just that little bit of extra driver focus.

The Wraith Black Badge takes the 623bhp Wraith - the most powerful Rolls-Royce in the world - and adds an additional 70Nm of torque, a completely redesigned air-suspension setup, new drive shafts and uprated eight-speed transmission. The result is a tauter and slightly more physical driving-focus with significantly increased handling capability, a high degree of steering feedback and more neutral cornering characteristics.