Rolls Royce has been using the Black Badge moniker for its high performance models since 2016. We even had the chance to get a taste of this on several occasions including a brief time behind the wheel of the Cullinan Black Badge SUV. However, since Rolls Royce didn’t have an electric vehicle for most of the Black Badge’s current career, it was used exclusively on the brand’s V12-powered offerings.
However, this is now changing with the Spectre Black Badge which brings the performance moniker to the EV market and allows Rolls Royce to explore a new dimension of the performance vehicle segment.
Changes lurk beneath the Spectre Black Badge’s skin
At first glance, you would be hard-pressed to spot any obvious changes on the outside. The exterior maintains the bulk of the core look that defines the standard model but like other Black Badge models the Sprit of Ecstasy hood ornament is dipped in black chrome and model exclusive wheels. A new hue called Vapor Violet spearheads a new level of customization for customers with a “waft” style coachline also being offered.
Slip inside the Black Badge and the transformation becomes more pronounced with splashes of carbon fiber and metal trim being contrasted by light touches of wood accents. The piano black dashboard has over 5,500 LED illuminated stars with a light-up Infinity symbol also being included. The coupe still gets supportive front seats with the seats in this car matching the purple paintwork on the outside. With the standard Spectre already being an opulent place to spend time in, look for the Black Badge to raise the bar that much more.
Spectre Black Badge is most powerful Rolls ever made
Performance for the Black Badge comes from a beefed-up version of the standard model’s all-electric powertrain with this variant making 659 horsepower and 792 lb-ft of torque. That’s 82 hp more than the base Spectre and it allows the model to silently make the sprint to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. That’s only a marginal improvement, but it’s very impressive when you consider how heavy the Spectre is. A new “Infinity Mode” unlocks the full power with drivers only needing to press a small button on the steering wheel to use it. The mode changes the graphics on the instrument cluster and allows the Rolls to have a more dynamic character.
A separate “Spirited Mode” serves as the launch control system and allows the Spectre to make its impressive sprint to 60 mph. While some will lament about the absence of the V12 in this model, we think that these buyers will like what they see once they have the opportunity to get behind the wheel. With all of this performance on hand, it should come as no surprise to learn that efficiency takes a hit with the Black Badge getting 266 miles of range with the standard 22-inch wheels. Upgrade to the heavier 23’s and range dips further to 256 miles.
It costs how much?
Buyers looking to add a Black Badge to their fleet will have to prepare to pay a noticeable premium over the standard model with a base Black Badge starting at $490,000. That’s a $67,250 upcharge over the base model but Rolls Royce buyers are a unique breed of customer and we suspect that this beefed-up pricing will not bother them too much once they have an opportunity to cruise through the customization suite and make their own interpretation of Black Badge performance.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.