Dark, Full of Power, And Unattainable: The Cullinan Black Badge Is Definitely Emperor Palpatine’s RR

• Black inserts and a new set of 22-inch alloy wheels give the Black Badge a more menacing look.
• The cabin features black inserts finished in Technical Carbon Veneer as well as contrast Forge Yellow detailing.
• The 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 petrol has been massaged to produce an additional 29PS of power and 50Nm of torque.
• Is priced at a premium of over Rs 1.3 crore over the standard Cullinan.

Darker than our sense of humour, and as powerful as it is exquisite. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge could easily be the ride of Emperor Palpatine (Star Wars), if he didn’t exist in a galaxy far, far away that is. The Black Badge was first introduced by Rolls Royce with the Wraith and Ghost in 2016 and the Dawn in 2017. Now, you too can be part of the Cullinan Black Badge club if you’ve got Rs 8.2 crore (ex-showroom) in loose change lying around. And that price is before customisation. This is a premium of upto Rs 1.3 crore over the standard Cullinan (Rs 6.95 crore). Globally revealed back in November 2019, the SUV gets a variety of blacked-out additions as well as mechanical revisions.

Aside from the new Signature Black body shade, customers can pick from a whopping 44,000 colour palette for the SUV. The traditional Spirit Of Ecstacy gets a black chrome finish along with other exterior bits like the grille, boot handle, boot trim, side frame finishers as well as exhaust pipes. Rounding off the exteriors are a set of 22-inch forged alloy wheels with painted brake calipers.

 

The blacked-out theme continues on the inside, with the cabin featuring black leather and contrasting Forge Yellow detailing. Other nifty features include a hand woven headliner with 1,344 fibre optic lights with eight shooting stars. Other black inserts consist of the instrument panel, door inserts and rear tray tables, finished in a Technical Carbon veneer. 

 

The Cullinan Black Badge also receives changes under the hood. It utilises the same 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol mill, but now produces 600PS and 900Nm (an increase of 29PS and 50Nm). It retains the ZF 8-speed transmission. However, the carmaker claims some revisions have been made on the powertrain setup. Other mechanical tweaks include the braking setup, suspension components as well as a new exhaust with a deep bassy note. 

While the Black Badge certainly brings out the dark side of the Rolls Royce Cullinan, does it really justify the need to shell out over a crore rupee for a meagre power increase and blacked-out inserts?