The Ghost is the fourth Rolls-Royce model to wear the ‘Black Badge’ moniker and it promises more power, improved dynamics and enhanced styling over the regular car on which it is based.
Called the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost, prices before options begin north of £320,000 for the luxury saloon, rising above £400,000 once personalisation requests are factored in.
The brand says almost one third of all commissions it receives are for the Black Badge, with bosses seeing the special trim as one way of appealing to younger, image conscious buyers.
The Wraith Grand Tourer was the first model to wear it in 2016 followed by the convertible Dawn in 2017 and, more recently, the high-riding Cullinan SUV in 2019.
Described as “the purest and most technologically advanced Black Badge motor car yet”, the Black Badge Ghost is powered by a 6.75-litre turbocharged V12 that has been boosted by 29bhp to 592bhp. Torque has also been upped for the all-wheel-drive car by 37lb ft to a maximum 664lb ft at just 1,700rpm.
A new ‘Low’ driver setting tweaks the car’s exhaust note and sharpens up the different drive modes, including gearshifts. Engaging this programme allows the 8-speed automatic to swap cogs 50% faster.
To ensure the car can handle the added shove in corners, engineers have recalibrated the air springs to reduce lean and body roll while the pedal travel required to activate the brakes – which have been carried across from the donor car untouched – has been decreased.
In terms of styling, the Black Badge Ghost borrows heavily from its other Black Badge siblings meaning the grille, brightwork and Spirit of Ecstasy are finished in a darker shade. The 21-inch alloy wheels, with floating hubcap that ensure the double ‘R’ logo is always upright, finish off the moody look.
As expected, the interior is one of the most sophisticated and opulent on sale today. Black wood veneers are joined by carbon and metallic fabrics, and the illuminated ‘Ghost’ motif on the dash’s passenger side makes way for a Black Badge Infinity logo.
Besides the fully digitised driver instrument binnacle and multimedia system, the main talking points are the champagne cooler and ‘Shooting Star’ headliner – the latter a constellation of between 800 to 1,600 small LEDs that can be designed to the owner’s exact wishes.
