What is it?
It’s remarkable to think that the average Rolls-Royce buyer, at just 43, is younger than the average Mini buyer within the BMW Group. A key part of that phenomenon has emerged within the past five years with the launch of the Black Badge model range, which has really now found its niche, particularly among younger buyers in the world’s emerging megacities.
The Black Badge treatment, which came first on the Rolls Royce Wraith in 2016, now arrives on the second-generation Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Ghost. It is no mere sporty trim level or special edition with a black paint finish, a tin of gloss black paint applied to the brightwork and a bit more power and a Sport driving mode.
No, said brightwork, for example, is all still chrome. It’s just had the chemical formula tweaked to come out in a darker shade, most notably seen on the darker grille and Spirit of Ecstasy.
And you can have the car in any of Rolls-Royce’s 44,000 paint colour options, although black remains the most popular choice. There is more power, too, and a new driving mode that does things like sharpen gearshifts and throttle response, but don’t call it a Sport mode: it’s called the ‘Low’ mode and is accessed by a button on the column shifter.
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Mmm. Black with NHS blue. Tasteful. Why not add some dog-eared magazines and you can have the complete 'Doctor's Waiting Room' experience.
Looks fantastic. If only I had the money......and the space.
It looks disgusting and it seems that Rolls Royce are doing what Burberry did previously, ie to make a lot of money but in doing so are devaluing the brand.