Rolls-Royce’s new Black Badge editions of its Ghost and Wraith cars have been designed to satisfy the demands of a new generation of risk-takers who “play hard and they change the world.”

Described as the alter ego of Rolls-Royce, the new models were launched at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, which is currently under way in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Technically and aesthetically ‘Black Badge’ is the alter ego of Rolls-Royce Wraith and Ghost; darker, more assertive, more confident and powerful, and more demanding.  With Black Badge we have created the most powerful presence on the luxury landscape,” said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

Giles Taylor, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “In creating Black Badge, we were conscious of satisfying the different demands of these new customers. Not only did they demand an alternative image for themselves, they demanded authentic Rolls-Royce engineering substance to underpin it. As a result, the Black Badge Spirit manifests itself through a series of carefully considered design elements which together express a darker luxury sophistication. New material accents and tonalities are combined to accommodate the tastes of those fast-moving customers who adopt a strident approach to life’s finer challenges.”


TRANSFORMATIONS

Among the substantive transformations, the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine has mutated into a “high-gloss black vamp”. The Double R badge on the prow, flanks and aft of every Black Badge car inverts to become silver on black, whilst 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 are unique to each car. The new wheels feature 22 layers of carbon fibre laid in three axes, and folded back on themselves at the outer edges of the wheel rim to provide 44 layers of strength. Further strength is added via 3D forged, aircraft-grade, aluminium hub which is bonded to the rim using aerospace strength titanium fasteners.

Black Badge brings the colour black to new levels of intensity. The multiple layers of paint and lacquer that go into creating Black Badge Black are repeatedly hand polished – the most exacting painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour. The result, says British luxury car manufacturer, is the “deepest, darkest and most intense black ever seen on a production car surface”.

However, clients will be able to specify whatever colour they wish for the exterior colour and interior leather colour of their Ghost or Wraith Black Badge.

The cabin is suffused with a darker reinterpretation of luxury.  The centrepiece of the cabin is the aerospace-grade aluminium-threaded carbon fibre composite surfacing – material often seen on the surfaces of stealth aircraft. 

To create this innovative material, threads of aircraft grade aluminium just 0.014 mm in diameter are painstakingly woven together before being bonded with carbon fibre. This surface material then has six coats of lacquer applied and then hand-polished to a mirror finish.  

In addition, the air vents on the dash and in the rear of Black Badge cars have been darkened through the use of physical vapour deposition. 

Set into the cars’ fascia is a new Black Badge clock whose hands are tipped in orange and whose face is adorned by the ‘Unlimited’ rating infinity logo that previously appeared in the Phantom Drophead ‘Waterspeed’, created in 2014 to celebrate the daring of world speed record champion Sir Malcolm Campbell. 

The logo is also embroidered on the upholstery as black leather combines with vibrant colours of Tailored Purple in Ghost Black Badge and Cobalto Blue in Wraith Black Badge, delivering a more edgy feel to the cabin. 

As a final touch, the moody light cast from the black starlight headliner, and reflected around the cabin from the polished fascia, creates a darkly atmospheric ambiance. 


ENGINEERING REFINEMENTS

Each of the cars that host the Black Badge spirit are very different Rolls-Royces – unlike any Rolls-Royce before. 

Rolls-Royce engineers used the flexibility of the 6.6 litre V12 engine to make Ghost Black Badge a little more menacing. Power increases by 40 hp (30 kw) to 603 hp (450 kw) and torque by 60Nm (840Nm) compared to current Ghost, whilst upgrades to the 8-speed automatic transmission give the car an added sense of urgency in how it delivers its power. 

Intuitive Throttle Response carefully hones the response of the transmission. Beyond 25 per cent throttle, the transmission transforms its character, holding gears for longer and shifting between 200 rpm and 500 rpm later, dependant on gear. Additionally, initiating a downshift requires 20 per cent less heft on the throttle, making Ghost Black Badge react more quickly to driver inputs.  Under braking conditions the transmission downshifts a few rpm sooner, providing the extra security of added engine braking thereby delivering a more spirited drive.

Suspension and steering changes, including the addition of new drive shafts, ensure that Ghost Black Badge continues to deliver the most luxurious ride, with just that little bit of extra driver focus.

Wraith is the most powerful Rolls-Royce at 623hp (465kw), but by combining an extra wave of torque (+70Nm) with the existing high power output, a redesigned air-suspension set up, new drive shafts and uprated 8-speed transmission, Rolls-Royce has produced an even more driver-focused car while at the same time preserving the intrinsic elements of the effortless Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet ride’. 

Again, upgrades to the 8-speed automatic transmission injects a level of added urgency in how Wraith Black Badge delivers its power. 

Intuitive Throttle Response also comes to Black Badge Wraith.  From 25 per cent throttle, the transmission holds gears for longer, shifting gear between 300 rpm and 500 rpm higher in the rev range, dependent on gear. Wraith Black Badge also revs all the way to 6,000rpm before each gear change when the throttle senses that it is at 80-100 per cent open. This gives a more direct throttle response feeling during spirited driving with peak power available more of the time. In addition, with the Intuitive Throttle in its mid-range (70 to 80 per cent), the gearbox is instructed to adopt a faster shift pattern. 

During deceleration or braking, the transmission downshifts a few rpm sooner, providing the extra security of added engine braking thereby delivering a more spirited drive. 

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. With its speed dependent steering adjustment, the car delivers a greater sense of security, even at high speeds as the weight of the steering adjusts to the speed of the car.

Rolls-Royce has also upgraded the brakes of both Black Badge models, increasing the diameter of the front brake discs by one inch for a swifter response. 

As a final safety enhancement, Wraith Black Badge has been equipped with automatic LED headlights ensuring optimum night vision.

Rolls-Royce created these new models in response to the demands from a “generation of young, self-empowered, self-confident rule-breakers who wish to demonstrate their success through a symbiosis between their work and their chosen brands”.