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Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge combines elevated power, style, luxury

For once, a black-themed special-edition vehicle actually has some depth. And it had better, because it's a Rolls-Royce. The new Cullinan Black Badge is not simply an SUV with black exhaust tips, a black grille, and black trim work, though it does have all three. In addition to a myriad of design treatments, some of which have never been applied to a Rolls-Royce, the Cullinan BB has increased power, a sportier drive setup, and unique features specific to this vehicle.  One of the most significant upgrades between the base Cullinan and the Black Badge is the performance. Rolls-Royce finessed the twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter to make 600 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, both up from 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 takes only 4.9 seconds, and it tops out at 155 mph. The Black Badge also has "intuitive throttle," which makes the ZF eight-speed transmission shift a little more aggressively, and a "low" button on the gear shift opens up a deep-voiced exhaust note. Furthering the package, Rolls-Royce made changes to the suspension components and settings to ready for lively driving. A higher brake point in the pedal travel and redesigned high-temperature-resistant brake discs help keep the SUV in check. This is also the first time ever a Rolls-Royce has used colored brake calipers.  Said to represent the style of a younger generation, "permanent bespoke" Black Badge vehicles undergo a dark transformation. We say dark, because black is not the only paint option. A white model was also shown at the unveiling and contrasted well with other darkened parts on the SUV. Apparently, each paint job is hand-polished for up to five hours to ensure peak shiny. Rolls-Royce emphasized how big of a deal it was to use a black Spirit of Ecstasy, which changed color thanks to a chemical process, not paint or wraps. The inverted badging, grille surround, side frame finishers, trunk handle, trunk trim, lower air inlet finisher, and exhaust pipes also received black makeovers, and new 22-inch black and silver wheels adorn each corner. Inside, "The King of the Night," as Rolls-Royce says (guess that title is available after the last season of "Game of Thrones"), has more all-new features. Crafted with a leather headliner and 1,344 fiber optic strands, the Starlight ceiling is introduced to the Cullinan with eight white shooting stars integrated into the pattern. The carbon fiber has been redesigned with aluminum weave and shows off a 3D geometric pattern.

Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection is a car with a secret

Rolls-Royce has unveiled yet another special-edition vehicle, this one being a version of the Wraith. It’s called the Wraith Kryptos Collection, and itÂ’s a bit more intriguing than most.  That intrigue comes from the secrets itÂ’s holding within. This car is a driving encrypted cipher. Rolls-Royce designers decided to incorporate a “labyrinth of complex ciphers” outside and inside the Wraith Kryptos. “As a designer, IÂ’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers,” Rolls-Royce Designer, Katrin Lehmann said. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art.” A number of messages are encrypted throughout the vehicles, but youÂ’ll need to be a decent cryptographer to get anywhere with it. To be frank, weÂ’re not sure how complex Rolls-Royce got with its cipher. Perhaps the scores of folks still looking into the ZodiacÂ’s cipher could take a break and see what Rolls has in store for everyone. Whatever it is, there are only two people who own the code to read the messages, the designer, and the CEO. A paper key has been tucked away into the CEOÂ’s safe at the home of Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce probably hasnÂ’t told us everything, but you can find code on the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, exterior paint, the headrests, metal trim and headliner. A combination of Kryptos Green (a newly-developed Rolls-Royce color), Delphic Grey, Dark Grey and Orbit Grey paint give this Wraith its signature appearance. For the 50 owners who end up with a Wraith Kryptos Collection, theyÂ’ll be able to submit guesses at cracking the code via the Rolls-Royce application, Whispers. Feel free to drop us a line when you figure it out, too.

Someone turned a Rolls-Royce Ghost into a real Crazy Taxi

One of the unexpected perks of the Autoblog office is that we get to see some pretty amazing cars, and not just what's in our review fleet. Right next door is Platinum Motor Cars, a premium used car dealer, and while they have some pretty stunning exotics on display, we noticed something a bit more unusual this week. And this Rolls-Royce Ghost is certainly unusual: It features a vinyl wrap that makes it look like a rusty yellow taxicab. The distinctive logo on the rear door also shows that this Ghost is a rolling tribute to Sega's classic arcade racer Crazy Taxi. Fortunately, we haven't seen it tearing through outdoor restaurants and up sidewalks like you might in the game. We wanted to know more about the car, so we talked to Jonathan Smith from Platinum Motor Cars. He told us that he and the car's owners participate in various cross-country rally events and they needed a car for the Motor City Rally on August 3. Smith explained they picked up a Ghost they weren't worried about putting miles on, and because, as he put it, they "are kids at heart," looked to a video game from their past for inspiration. Smith said they were in a tight spot getting the car wrapped, since the Ghost arrived only two days before the start of the rally. But he explained they were fortunate Envy Auto Group was able to finish the job in just 36 hours. This car also continues their trend of using fun cars for their rallies. Smith told us about the various themes they've had for past vehicles such as a Love Bug-themed Audi RS7, and a "Family Truckster" Mercedes-Benz E63 wagon. The latter of which got the complete olive green and faux wood color scheme to match the movie car. Smith said that the Motor City Rally was the only rally the Ghost will participate in, but they will show it at the M1 Concourse Cars and Coffee, at the Woodward Dream Cruise, and probably a few other local events. So if you happen to be in the Birmingham area, keep an eye out for the yellow Rolls. It's hard to miss. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Jonathan Smith / Platinum Motor Cars Auto News Toys/Games Rolls-Royce Luxury Sedan video games rolls royce rolls-royce ghost