Earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce unveiled its new Black Badge range. The luxurious Ghost and Wraith models are meant to attract an even more exclusive crowd, and they’re going to do that by being a bit, let’s say, unorthodox.
The British luxury automaker are reinterpreting symbols that were supposedly intangible in the past. For example, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine on top of the massive Pantheon grille of the front fascia is now dressed in high-gloss black instead of the silver we’ve been getting used to.
Other blacked out elements include the Double R badge on the front as well as the front grille surround, boot lid finisher and exhaust pipes. All in all, the new range is supposedly aiming at customers that are “risk takers and disruptors who break the rules and laugh in the face of convention.” The new models will reach dealerships this July, with London being the first stop.
“London is a young, modern and at times edgy city, which makes it the perfect place to come and see the new Rolls-Royce Black Badge series, which takes a completely different approach to any of its forebears,” said Claus Andersen, RR Motor Cars London brand director.
Customers will be welcomed by highly trained individuals that can explain all the details that make the new models stand out compared to their more…humble brethren. One of the tricks that isn’t just visual will be the refreshed 6.6-liter V12 engine in the Wraith that now has the same 623 HP rating but a bit more torque on its side, being rated at 870 Nm (642 lb-ft), a 70 Nm (52 lb-ft) increase. Furthermore, the Wraith will also get an improve air suspension system which will offer a higher ride quality.
As for the Ghost, its engine will be making 603 HP and 620 lb-ft (840 Nm) of torque in Black Badge guise, a 40 HP and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) bump compared to the standard version.
