Driving a Rolls-Royce doesn't mean you can't break the codes of luxury. And that’s precisely what the Black Badge collection sets out to do. SoBARNES takes a closer look at this commercial success story.
When ordering a Rolls-Royce, clients can choose from 44,000 bodywork colours in the “ready-to-wear” collection. Talk about spoiled for choice. But on top of that, the brand allows them to create their own bespoke hue, not to be reused by any other buyer. Black represents the overwhelming majority when it comes to colour choice. Not one to miss an opportunity, Rolls-Royce has therefore created its own interpretation: Black Badge. A black blacker than black (if such a thing is possible!). Cue the Ghost ‘small’ limousine. A truly spectacular creation:
To create what Rolls-Royce calls “the motor car industry’s darkest black”, 100lbs (45kg) of paint is atomised and applied to a body in white before being oven dried. The car then receives two layers of clear coat before being hand-polished by a team of four craftsman to produce the high-gloss piano finish. This operation takes around 5 hours, and produces an intensity unattainable in mass production. Even on a Rolls-Royce.
Wondering what has become of the staid grille and the famous Spirit of Ecstasy mascot? They have retained their chrome form but with an added deposit to darken them without detracting from the shine. They are then hand polished to obtain a “mirror-black chrome finish”.
The interior is, of course, infinitely customisable. Speaking of infinity, the symbol has become the signature of the Black Badge collection and is found on the bodywork, the seats and even on the lacquer of the champagne cooler. How classy is that? So who is a car like this designed for? Game changers, women and men who “engage with luxury products on their own terms. They reject suits for streetwear, use blockchain not banks”.
Equipped with a V12 engine that delivers 600PS and sold for a figure likely in excess of €400,000, the Ghost Black Badge follows on from its equally high-performing predecessors the Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan. A family built for success, and which represents 27% of the brand’s commissions!
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Infos : Rolls-roycemotorcars.com
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