LONDON: In the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Series II, the formidable V12 engine is presented in a high-power configuration, producing 29PS more power and 50NM more torque than Ghost Series II.
As with all Rolls-Royce Black Badge models, the ‘Low’ button situated on the gear selection stalk unlocks Black Badge Ghost’s full suite of technologies, including a 50% increase in gearshift speeds when the throttle is depressed to 90%, and a subtly more voluble note from the motor car’s exhaust system.
To harness this additional power, the Black Badge Planar Suspension system is used for Black Badge Ghost Series II.
As with Ghost Series II, this decorated chassis technology incorporates a unique Upper Wishbone Damper unit above the front suspension assembly.
This is linked with continuously variable, electronically controlled shock absorbers and self-levelling air strut assemblies front and rear to create an even more agile expression of the marque’s signature ‘magic carpet ride’.
To inspire driver confidence, when exploring the motor car’s significant power reserves, the braking bite point has been raised, and pedal travel decreased, directly responding to client requests for a uniquely potent expression of the Rolls-Royce brand.
New materials made available for Ghost Series II include the marque’s dramatic Duality Twill textile, an innovative rayon fabric made from bamboo.
The development of this bold new material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d’Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa.
It is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic, which is based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders.
A complete Duality Twill interior can incorporate up to 2.2 million stitches and 11 miles of thread, taking up to 20 hours to complete.
This exquisite material can be made even more impactful with daring and extrovert contrast colourways that clients can create with 51 colours of thread to choose from, further elevating this remarkable new finish for Black Badge clients.
Alternatively, clients may choose Placed Perforation – an innovative contemporary craft technique in which small perforations are made in the seat leather to create unique artworks.
Below the glass fascia and throughout the interior, Black Badge Ghost Series II features a meticulously crafted Technical Carbon surface finish. The marque’s craftspeople developed a complex but restrained diamond-shaped weave using carbon and metallic fibres on top of a black Bolivar wood base.
Leaves woven from resin-coated carbon and contrasting metal-coated thread are laid by hand in a diamond pattern, which creates a three-dimensional effect. Each component is then cured for one hour under pressure at 100°C.
The surface is sand-blasted to create a ‘key’ for six layers of lacquer, which is hand-sanded before being polished to a brilliant finish.
The final effect is subtle, yet rewards those who examine it with remarkable depth and clarity.
Black Badge Ghost Series II’s daring is in its subtle yet impactful exterior design.
The most significant styling statement is the lower grille, marking the first time Black Badge Ghost has received a unique styling treatment.
The lower brake air intake now features a new geometry, with two darkened chrome strips running longitudinally to functional air ducts, surrounded by technical black chrome frames.
Black Badge Ghost Series II’s most dramatic exterior statement is a 22-inch part-polished, seven-spoke forged wheelset.
Styled to project the mechanical complexity of its legendary high-power V12 engine and chassis technology, the reduced visual mass of the wheel and slender spoke geometry provide a clear view of the powerful disc brakes.
