Currently reading: Rolls-Royce Ghost gets Black Badge treatment

Luxury saloon gets more dynamic brief and bespoke styling to appeal to younger customers

Rolls-Royce has revealed the latest model in its Black Badge series: The new Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge.

A more powerful and more individual version of the luxury saloon introduced last year, the Ghost Black Badge is, like other Black Badge models, is aimed at bringing younger buyers into the Rolls-Royce brand.

It uses a 29bhp more powerful version of the standard Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Ghost’s twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, boosted to 592bhp. Torque is increased by 37lb ft to a maximum of 664lb ft, all of which is available from just 1700rpm.

The all-wheel-drive Ghost Black Badge adds a new ‘Low’ driving mode, which sharpens up numerous driving functions, including gearshifts from the eight-speed automatic gearbox that are made 50% quicker and a tweaked exhaust note.

97 Rolls ghost black badge 2021 official images rear

Other dynamic tweaks over the donor car include more voluminous air springs that are designed to reduce body roll under hard cornering, a bespoke throttle map, revised tuning for the all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering systems, and the raising of the brake pedal’s biting point while reducing its travel, although the standard braking system has been retained from the Ghost despite the increase in power.

Styling-wise, the exterior of the Ghost Black Badge borrows many flourishes from its Black Badge siblings, the Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Dawn, Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Wraith and Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce Cullinan. These include darker chrome shade for the exterior brightwork, grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy, and the 21in alloy wheel design.

Inside, there are black wood veneers and technical fabrics and a more ‘subdued’ tone for the interior brightwork, alongside a bespoke, minimalist interior clock that’s flanked by a new design for the Ghost’s LED illuminated fascia.

Back to top

95 Rolls ghost black badge 2021 official images cabin

The Black Badge series has been crucial in reducing the average age of Rolls-Royce buyers, which has dropped from 56 to 43 for the brand to have the youngest average age of buyer in the BMW Group. CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said Black Badge is now “such an integral part of the brand” for Rolls-Royce.

Such is their popularity that Black Badge models account for up 40% of all Rolls-Royces sold, far greater than the 15% that Rolls originally envisaged when it was first introduced on the Wraith in 2016. 

The Ghost Black Badge is available to order now priced from £325,000.

Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you’ll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.