Rolls-Royce
7 November 2019, Goodwood
- Black
Badge family defines taste patterns of anew generation of super-luxury
consumer
- Cullinan
introduced as darkest, most urban expression of a Black Badge motor car
yet
- First
time marque’s proprietary Architecture of Luxury has undergone Black Badge
treatment
- 6.75-litre
V12 engine now delivers increased power (600PS) and torque (900NM)
- Drivetrain
and chassis re-engineered for enhanced dynamic performance
- Curated
collection debuts striking Forge Yellow leather and Technical Carbon
veneer
- Bespoke
alloy wheel introduced in Black Badge house style
- Infinity lemniscate symbol continues to codify noir expression of Rolls-Royce
“Black
Badge reflects the desires of a distinct group of Rolls-Royce clients: men and
women who take risks, break rules and buildsuccess on their own terms. Indeed,
before we launched Black Badge in 2016 the idea of creating a product that
would satisfy this subversivecohort – that is highly dynamic and wilfully
rebellious in aesthetic – causeda great deal of internal debate. However, once the
marque’s designers, engineers and craftspeoplebegan pursuing this dramatic
alter ego, it became clear that thesemotor cars could not only exist
comfortably beneath this revered and historic brand but theywould define a new
space within the super-luxury market. In this spirit, the time has come for Rolls-Royce’s
boldest and darkest expression of Black Badge yet. The King of the Night, Black
Badge Cullinan.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive
Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Car
Introduction
At
the Geneva Motor Show inMarch 2016, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presented Black
Badge; a permanent Bespoke family of motor cars that defined the taste patterns
of an emerging generation of super-luxury consumer. These unapologetic and
highly dynamic products responded to those who refused to be defined by
traditional codes of luxury and did much to attract new customers to the marque,
reassured by Rolls-Royce’s fluency in their bold aesthetic and uncompromising lifestyle
requirements.
This highly
successful alter ego is codified by the mathematical symbol that represents a
potential infinity, which isplaced discreetly within the motor car’s interior.
This marking, known also as the lemniscate,was applied to Sir Malcolm
Campbell’s record-breaking Rolls-Royce-powered Blue Bird K3 hydroplane, denoting
that it belonged to an insurance class reserved for boats with unlimited and
therefore infinite engine power. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars selected this hallmark
for Black Badge to reflect its own unrelenting pursuit of power.
Rolls-Royce
debuted Black Badge with Wraith and Ghostin 2016 followed by Dawn in 2017.
Today, the family is completed with the introduction of Black BadgeCullinan:
the darkest and most urbanstatement of Black Badge yet.
Cullinan
Goes Black
Created
to satisfy overwhelming demand from younger, more adventurous clients,Cullinan in
its silver badge guise, was launched to global acclaim in 2018, immediately becoming
the world’s pinnacle super-luxury SUV. Combining luxury in its purest form with
genuine practicality and off-road capability, Cullinan unequivocally delivered
on the promise of an experience that is Effortless, Everywhere.
The Rolls-Royce
of SUVs did much to reach a new group of clients looking for unfettered access
to the world’s wildest places and most enriching experiences. Yet, within this
group exists a subset of individuals who seek to subvertthe motor car’s
domineering presence by permanently cloaking it in the night. Cullinan has
conquered the world’s wildest reaches. Now it is time for Black Badge Cullinanto
conquer new urban frontiers.
Black BadgeCullinan Exterior: The King of
the Night
While
clients can draw on the marque’s 44,000 ‘ready to wear’ paint options or
commission an entirely individual Bespoke hue, it is anticipated that many will
opt for Black Badge’s signature Black. Multiple layers of paint and lacquer aremeticulously
applied and hand-polished 10 times at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West
Sussex, representing the most comprehensive surface finish process ever applied
to a solid paint colour. The depth and intensity of Black Badge Cullinan’s
coachwork serves as the perfect canvasupon which to throw a contrastinghand-painted
Coachline into stark relief.
On
the prow of the motor car lies the defining expression of Black Badge. The
Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, which has taken many forms throughout the marque’s
history, is presented in high gloss black chrome. For the first time this
finish extends onto its mounting plate, creating the darkest Black Badge yet.
Thistransformation
pervades the other symbols of Black Badge. The ‘Double R’ badge on the front,
flanks and aft invert to become silver-on-black, while chrome surfaces such as
the front grille surround, side frame finishers, boot handle, boot trim, lower
air inlet finisher and exhaust pipes are darkened.While they appear black, the
vertical grille bars remain polished, reflecting the blackened surfaces that
surround them to add a frisson of movement that hints at the motor car’s dynamic
intent.
The
overall effect artfully simplifies and enlarges the motor car’s exterior design
graphics, emphasisingits imposing proportions and confident stance. This is
further dramatised by all-new 22-inch forged alloy wheels, reserved exclusively
for Black Badge Cullinan. Designed in the Black Badge house style, the
gear-like graphicemphasises the model’s vast reserves of power while also
recalling an infinitely occurring lemniscate.
The gloss
black and polished design also creates the perfect stage for the marque’s first
ever coloured brake caliper.The high gloss Red paint has been specifically
developed to withstand the rigours of elevated temperatures generated by the
motor car’s uprated braking system while still offering a perfectly smooth
finish befitting of Rolls-Royce.
Black BadgeCullinan Interior: Superlative
comfort. Audacious design
Ordinarily,
great efforts are expelled to distance occupantsfrom a Rolls-Royce’s mechanical
function. However, the marque’s Colour and Trim experts gently sensationalised
the engineering substance of Black Badge, seamlessly blending superlative comfort,
bold aesthetics, advanced materials and precise, meticulous craftsmanship.
This ethos
is perfectly embodied byBlack Badge Cullinan’s Technical Carbon veneer. In the
spirit of Sir Henry Royce’s founding philosophy, “When it does not exist,
design it”, a collaboration between the marque’s designers, engineers and
craftspeople saw the creation of a new luxury material. Inspired by
masterpieces of urban architecture, a naked-weave carbon-fibre finishhas been developed
to create highly accurate repeating geometrical shapes that produce a powerful
three-dimensional effect.
Each
leaf of Technical Carbon is finished with six coats of lacquer before being
left to cure for 72 hours then hand-polished to Rolls-Royce’s hallmark mirror
finish. This process takes21 daysand is only deemed complete once every piece
is inspected by a craftsperson to ensure complete reflective uniformity across
each of the 23 pieces within the car.
Starlight
Headliner has joined historical Rolls-Royce iconography such as the Spirit of
Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram. Its presence in Black Badge
Cullinan intensifies the cabin’s ambience by casting a low light over the
lavish leather seats. Presented in fine Black leather, handwoven with 1344
fibre optic lights, it is a true reflection of the sky at night and
incorporates eight brilliant white shooting stars that dart at random predominantly
over the front occupants, subtly acknowledging the motor car’s owner-driver
appeal.
Reflecting
the marque’s Bespoke philosophy, Black Badge Cullinan benefits from a near-infinitely
configurable interior colourpalette. Black Badge clients often use interior space
as a stage to create dramatic high contrast colourways, so for Cullinan
Rolls-Royce’sColour and Trim designers created a bold new leather colour, Forge
Yellow, to offer as part of the brand’s curated collection. As with all leather
colours, this can be commissioned for the motor car’s Viewing Suite or
incorporated into the design of a highly Bespoke Recreation Module tailored to
the client’s exacting specification.
A
final touch completes the interior seating: the Infinity lemniscate motif is
embroidered into the fold-down rear arm-rest as an elegant reminder of the
power contained within. This simple but potent symbolisalso incorporated in the
illuminated treadplatesand engraved on the brushed and darkened steel clock
case.Red-tipped clock hands and instrument display needles also serve as a
discreet reminder of the motor car’s dynamic prowess.
Black
Badge Cullinan Engineering. The Architecture of Luxury’s dark side
Black
Badge is far more than an aesthetic treatment. In creating this class of motor
car, it was of vital importance for Rolls-Royce to conceive a meticulously
considered dynamic personality that perfectly harmonised with the motor car’s
remarkable visual identity.Indeed, the exceptionally high expectations of the
marque’s clients defined a rigorous testing protocol lasting more than three
years to ensure that Black Badge Cullinanwas relevant to their needs.
Key
to the visceral thrill of Black BadgeCullinan is the Architecture of Luxury, Rolls-Royce’s
proprietary all-aluminium architecture that debuted with Phantom. The
sub-structure not only delivers extraordinary body stiffness but its
flexibility and scalability allowed Cullinan to be fitted with all-wheel drive
and four-wheel steering in its silver badged guise. These dynamic features have
been comprehensively exploited and re-engineered for Black Badgewhile retaining
the peerless quality of ride that has driven Rolls-Royce’s success.
The Architecture of Luxury has been
engineered to meet size and weight requirements of different propulsion systems.
When the driver presses the ‘Low’ button situated on the gear selection stalk,
they unlock Black Badge Cullinan’s full suite of technologies. This is asserted
by the proud amplification of the motor car’s 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12through
an entirely new exhaust system, announcing its arrival with a deep,
authoritativebasso profundo.
It
was deemed unnecessary to make changes to the engine’s ample internal capacity,
however the flexibility of the twin-turbo V12 has been exploited to generate an
extra 29PS creating a total output of 600PS. The sense of a single, infinite
gear has also been sensationalised with the addition of a further 50NM of
torque, bringing the total to a 900NM.
Black
Badge Cullinan benefits from a Bespoketransmission and throttle treatment that
creates a sense of urgency without ever undermining its Rolls-Royce peerage. The
drive-train, ZF 8-speed gear box andboth front and rear steered axles work
collaboratively to adjust the levels of engagement depending on throttle and
steering inputs. Changes to suspension components and settings add to the suite
of dynamic technologies that ensure an appropriate balance between dynamism and
refinement. The result is an extremely well-mannered tourer at low speeds and a
vivid driver’s device when pressed.
To
bolster confidence when exploiting Cullinan’s alter ego, the braking bite point
has been raised and pedal travel decreased. Redesigned brake disc ventilationalso
allows consistency in these changes while braking at elevated temperatures.
Black
Badge Cullinan is now available to commission.
Editors’ notes:
Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BMW Group and is a completely separate
company from Rolls-Royce plc, the manufacturer of aircraft engines and
propulsion systems. Over 2000 skilled men and women are employed at the
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ head office and manufacturing plant at Goodwood, West
Sussex, the only place in the world where the company’s super-luxury motor cars
are hand-built.
Further information:
You
can find all our press releases and press kits, as well as a wide selection of
high resolution, downloadable photographs and video footage at our media
website, PressClub.
CO2
emissions and consumption:
·
Black BadgeCullinanCO2 emission: 370-377g/km (Combined); Fuel
consumption: 17-17.3mpg / 16.3-16.6 L/100km (Combined)
#WLTP
(combined)
The
fuel consumption given in miles per gallon (and litres per 100km) and the CO2
emission given in grams per kilometre represents official combined values.
Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. Consumption data is
determined in accordance to the ECE driving cycle
Further information about the official fuel consumption and the official
specific CO2 emissions for new passenger automobiles can be found in “The
Passenger Car Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions Information Regulations” in
the United Kingdom. For emission data, labelling and guidelines relating to
your local market please contact your nearest sales
outlet or local authority website.
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