The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Series Is Fully Customizable, Except This One Feature
The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Series was a new chapter for the luxury brand. The Black Badge Series reflected on some of the more prominent commissions from clients in the past 117 years and will continue to design vehicles based on this. What are some of the first luxury vehicles in the Rolls-Royce Black Badge?
The Rolls-Royce Black Badge series is a celebration of individuality
Looking back over the last decade, the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Series represents some of the more distinguished and bespoke designs. The automaker says that in the past 117 years, the Rolls-Royce brand has attracted “free spirits, creative minds and those who seek to challenge established conventions.” The founders, Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, refused to make vehicles that would fit the masses. The pair wanted to create individual cars that fit a specific clientele.
These wonderful historic cars are perfect examples of how that rebellious spirit infuses our brand story, and continues in the modern era with our Black Badge products .”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös | Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce says that the desire for self-expression has been a significant part of designing vehicles for clients. The brand offers a customizable experience, adding even more recently with the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuild experience. What are some of the characteristics of this series?
The Rolls-Royce Black Badge is usually one single color
“The desire for self-expression is fundamental to the human condition. It is one of the principal reasons clients are drawn to Rolls-Royce, which offers matchless opportunities to push boundaries, redefine what’s possible, and challenge established convention.” That is essentially the driving force behind the Black Badge designs.
There’s one catch: all of the cars in the Black Badge series are black. While there are many colors available, the automaker says black is the color that evokes the most emotion. It also says it brings a “powerful allure” to the Black Badge series. But don’t worry, you can order the car in any color. The automaker isn’t going to turn someone down for a custom-colored vehicle.
In recent times, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge started at around $480,000. For the most part, it came in black. However, Post Malone had a custom NASCAR paint job done on his Cullinan.
These vehicles started it all
The earliest option in the Black Badge series was the 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental (94MY). This vehicle was a personal request of Henry Royce made explicitly for “long-distance Continental touring.” At the time, Rolls-Royce coachwork vehicles were finished in black or a shade of maroon or blue so dark it looked black.
The 1960 Phantom V (5AT30) replaced the Silver Wraith in 1959. The Phantom V was primarily meant to be chauffer-driven, so it was extra long. The automaker said the bodies were a limousine design for the most part.
Finally, the 1965 Phantom V (5VD73) was ordered as a gift from John Lennon to John Lennon. This was at the start of The Beatles’ hysteria, and Lennon wanted a particular order. He requested that all of the pieces usually be finished in chrome or stainless steel be black instead. The 1965 Phantom V was also one of the first vehicles in Britain to have blacked-out or tinted windows.
These vehicles may have been the first in the Rolls-Royce Black Badge series, but will not be the last. What will the luxury automaker come up with next?
