Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost arrives

Global hyper-luxury car leader Rolls-Royce has added a sportier and more powerful Black Badge version of its ‘entry-level’ Ghost sedan to its Australian line-up, aimed a younger audience but priced at $745,000 plus on-road costs.

That makes the 2022 Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost a cool $117,000 more expensive than the standard short-wheelbase Ghost on which it’s based ($628,000 plus ORCs), but the price tag is only indicative because every Rolls buyer personalises their purchase.

It also makes the Black Badged Ghost $10,000 more expensive than the Black Badge Wraith two-door coupe, but cheaper than both the Black Badge Cullinan SUV ($754,000) and Black Badge Dawn cabriolet ($802,000).

There is no Black Badge version of Rolls-Royce’s flagship Phantom limousine.

Rolls has confirmed Black Badge Ghost sales in Australia already, although numbers aren’t being discussed.

Overall, however, Black Badge variants account for about 30 per cent of Australian Rolls-Royce sales (48 in 2021) – in line with the global split – playing a key role in accessing a more youthful audience, which the company says are non-conformist entrepreneurs and trailblazers who dare.

In other words, rich young dudes. Rolls-Royce claims its average buyer age is now 43, the lowest in the BMW Group, below even youth brand MINI.

“One of the key things the Australian audience likes about the Black Badge is the extra power and the extra level of uniqueness the car can bring,” said Rolls-Royce Asia-Pacific regional sales manager Ian Grant.

“What we have seen so far for the Black Badge orders in Australia is quite unique style and colour combinations. You may call it a drift away from the more traditional colours.

“So we are seeing some very bright oranges, bright yellows. A lot of two-tones has been a key thing. Black Badge allows clients to express themselves further.”

While the Black Badge concept dates back to 2016 and the first-generation Ghost, this is the first time this model has been seen in Australia and follows the second-generation Ghost’s local launch in 2020.

The Black Badge Ghost is the first model in the series to ride on Rolls-Royce’s new-concept Planar air suspension and the second after Cullinan to be based on the aluminium spaceframe Architecture of Luxury chassis.

It also gets the same boosted 441kW/900Nm version of the 6.75-litre V12 engine as the Black Badge Cullinan.

Rolls claims a 250km/h top speed for the Black Badge Ghost and a 4.7sec 0-100km/h sprint.

The Dawn and Wraith get the older 6.6-litre BMW-sourced V12 with slightly less meaty outputs and they ride on an architecture originally developed by the parent company for the 7 Series.

The Black Badge Ghost adds chassis modifications to its four-wheel steering, all-wheel, air suspension and brake feel to its 21kW/50Nm output boost over the standard model.

Other signature design updates include 21-inch carbon-alloy composite wheels and darkened versions of the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot and illuminated Pantheon grille.

Inside, there is a technical fibre veneer, the Lemniscate infinity symbol adopted by Rolls for its Black Badge models and even darkened air-con vents.

The whole package is topped off by a new exhaust with a more aggressive note that is activated when the ‘Low’ button (Sport to you and me) on the column shifter is activated.

The Low button also increases gearshift speeds in the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission by 50 per cent when the throttle is depressed to 90 per cent.

While black is the hero colour of the Black Badge Ghost, the first example to arrive in Australia and shown off to the media came with Arctic White paint. This is one of 44,000 paint options Rolls offers its customers.

Whatever colour, Rolls smothers the Black Back Ghost in 45kg of paint, which is then hand-buffed by four craftsman for up to five hours to produce a luxuriant finish, helping to explain where all that money goes.

Equipment highlights of the Black Badge Ghost shown to Aussie media included black brake callipers, illuminated Black Badge treadplates, Arctic White coloured stitching, extended leather headlining, shooting star headlining front and rear, massage seats, black boot trim, Rolls-Royce bespoke audio, ‘Effortless’ self-closing and opening coach doors, rear theatre configuration, TV tuner, picnic tables, autonomous emergency braking, active cruise and Apple CarPlay.

Surprisingly, Android Auto is not available. Rolls-Royce says most of its owners use iPhones.