Rolls-Royce has been using the "Black Badge" terminology to denote high-performance versions since 2016, but never for an electric car. Rather than having the faithful V-12 underneath its imposingly long hood, Spectre remains purely electric as the standard coupe. It continues to feature all-wheel drive with a pair of motors, but now with even more power to earn its upper position in the Goodwood hierarchy.
Without further ado, the Rolls-Royce Spectre Black Badge offers 659 horsepower and 792 pound-feet of torque. Even without the venerable 6.75-liter twelve-cylinder heart, it's the most powerful model ever launched by the BMW Group-owned brand. The hotter derivative adds 82 hp and 128 lb-ft compared to a regular Spectre. Thanks to the extra oomph, the sprint time to 60 mph has been reduced by three-tenths of a second to only 4.1 seconds.
To unlock the whole shebang, a new Infinity mode can be activated by pressing a button on the steering wheel. In addition to grating the full 659 horsepower, it delivers a more rapid throttle response and changes the graphics of the digital instrument cluster for a sportier vibe. Additionally, Rolls-Royce gives the Spectre Black Badge a Spirited Mode. It essentially serves as a launch control system, enabling the driver to temporarily access full torque and achieve the remarkable sprint time mentioned above.
Beyond the extra electric muscle, the amped-up Spectre has had its dampers tweaked to reduce "squatting" under hard acceleration or braking. The steering weight has increased, while roll stabilization sharpens steering to diminish body roll.
As you can imagine, efficiency takes a hit. A standard Spectre can travel 277 miles on a single charge, but the Black Badge will do 266 miles with the 22-inch wheels. Upgrade to the part-polished or all-black 23-inch set, and the range drops to 251 miles, or two miles less than the regular Spectre with the larger alloys.
Compared to a regular Spectre, the Black Badge brings additional customization options. Aside from the exclusive wheels, the more potent variant can be ordered with a new Vapor Violet color and combined with an Iced Black hood. It can also be personalized with a "waft" coachline adorning the lower half of the coupe's stately body. The dark trim associated with Black badge models is included, as is an illuminated grille. In the press shots, the imposing grille has a purple canvas behind it, therefore matching the body. Alternatively, clients can opt for Charles Blue, Chartreuse, Forge Yellow, or Turchese.
Inside, the Spectre Black Badge stands out with its carbon fiber and metal combination and subtle wood trim. The piano-black dashboard incorporates no fewer than 5,500 illuminated stars and a light-up infinity symbol, which can be found throughout the lavish cabin. Rolls-Royce says each interior piece is sealed with six layers of lacquer before being manually polished. As a final touch, the digital dials can be customized by choosing from five available themes.
Rolls-Royce wants an eye-watering $490,000 for the Spectre Black Badge, which makes it $67,250 more expensive than the normal model.
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre
Source: Rolls-Royce
