Whenever we think it’s impossible for Rolls-Royce to surprise us with yet another special commission, we’re proven wrong. The ultra-luxury brand under the BMW Group never seems to run out of ideas for customizing its already lavish vehicles. Case in point: this Ghost, based on the hotter Black Badge, embraces a retro-gaming theme.
A wealthy customer with a passion for the 8-bit era and arcade games ordered the super sedan in a unique specification. The buyer chose a two-tone finish combining Salamanca Blue with Diamond Black, but that’s not what makes the car stand out. Nor are the 22-inch wheels with their seven-spoke design and black brake calipers.
So, what does? It’s the coachline separating the two colors, which expresses the client’s soft spot for video games from a bygone era. The so-called “Cheeky Alien” sits next to an 8-bit explosion hand-painted in different color combinations depending on the side of the car. There are no fewer than 89 individual pixels, each measuring 3×3 mm, recalling what enthusiasts know as the third generation of video game consoles.
The arcade-game vibe continues the moment you open the doors. Illuminated side sills display nostalgia-infused messages: Level Up, Press Start, Loading, and Insert Coin. The tech entrepreneur who ordered the one-off Ghost Black Badge asked Rolls-Royce to label the seats “Player 1” through “Player 4,” naturally rendered in a special 8-bit-style font.
Even the rear picnic tables are adorned with the Cheeky Alien, presented as a metal inlay. It’s a recurring motif, also appearing on the front and rear headrests. To drive the point home, spaceships depicted between the rear seats recall vintage games like Space Invaders.
No modern Rolls-Royce would be complete without the Starlight Headliner. Here, it consists of 80 individually placed battlecruisers illustrated in pixelated form using fiber-optic lights. For added visual drama and to delight its gamer owner, the lights mimic laser fire thanks to custom programming.
The Black Badge Ghost Gamer leaves the engine bay untouched. As a result, Rolls-Royce’s venerable 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 continues to deliver 591 hp and 663 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque.
Photos: Rolls-Royce
