What first springs to mind when someone mentions “Rolls-Royce”? Unless you’re an avid aviation enthusiast and you think of a Boeing 787 RR turbofan engine (sorry Melbourne Plane Spotters, you might have to go elsewhere for that blog), it’s likely you’d conjure images of cooled champagne, high heels, and all-round overt opulence. Most likely you thought of someone other than the owner driving - not unlike Parker from an episode of ‘The Thunderbirds’. Indeed, even Lady Penelope was driven by Parker in her pink ‘Rolls’ interpretation, FAB1. That’s where the Wraith Black Badge stakes its claim - a car designed to be driven, not driven in.
Spirit of Darkness
Rolls-Royce isn’t the first car manufacturer to use ‘black’ as their colour of choice for more hardcore and expensive models; think Mercedes-AMG’s ‘Black Series’ for instance, alongside almost every other manufacturer offering some form of ‘black pack’ to enhance visual appeal and maximise aggression. That’s where we get onto Rolls’s interpretation of black; designed for the younger market of Rolls buyers who demand the supreme perfection and luxury of a Rolls-Royce, sophisticated looks, and an air of uniqueness to outshine their friend’s supercars, yet with a bit more energy and agility than their grandfather’s Corniche. Sounds like a risky proposition, especially at $895,500 locally. However, the Black Badge represents that very phenotype; those willing to take a risk on something different, seduced by the luxury and power of a Rolls-Royce. And yes: you can get a Black Badge in a colour that isn’t black.
Our tour would take us on a curated Rolls-Royce-appropriate adventure from the Mornington Peninsula’s Jackalope Winery, exploring the backroads of the Peninsula including the iconic Arthur’s Seat switchbacks, flow along the freeway and onward to St Kilda and the unique ‘Rain Room’ installation, then waft (take note: the operative verb for driving a Rolls) back to Jackalope in time for a five-course dinner. How fabulous.
Introduction to the Wraith
Pottering up the Jackalope gravel driveway, driven by our knowledgeable and passionate RR guide in a BMW X5 450i, our eyes were darting around the various car parks dotted over the winery, like avid bird-watchers keeping their eyes peeled for some rare species of cormorant. Although we should have known better, of course; parked in pride of place right outside the main entrance, in true Rolls-Royce rockstar-style, was our striking (‘understated’ may be a little difficult to justify) Belladonna Purple example. Notably, the only of its colour in Australia, and a car that had been able to elude a feature on MCS - until now. That's despite local-born NBA player, Ben Simmons, driving it around town just days prior. The bodywork of a Rolls is recognisable upon first sight; curvaceous hips and slanted roofline tell you it’s a Wraith, but subtle modern features juxtaposed against timeless RR staples tell you it’s something extra. In the direct sunlight, the vivid and dynamic purple matched perfectly with the intricate Black Badge 21-inch carbon-fibre wheels take a dip into the modern age of automotive technology, focused on the pursuit of lightness combined with rigidity to improve performance; we bet you are as surprised as we were that the Ferrari 488 Pista isn’t the only carbon-fibre-wheeled car around. The front fascia, still dominated by the iconic pantheon grille, is topped with a now compressed-carbon Spirit of Ecstasy. It didn’t need to happen, but it’s a statement of the car’s intent - a-la Black Badge. Assembled by hand, each of the grille’s vertical slats is put in place manually and requires over 95 hours to complete alone. If this car’s tuxedo was the Belladonna Purple, its bowtie is a set of three digit heritage plates [146], pushing the total value of the car well beyond $1m. |
If this car’s tuxedo was the Belladonna Purple, its bowtie is a set of three digit heritage plates [146], pushing the total value of the car well beyond $1m.
Black Badge is not just to be taken literally; yes, the badges and Spirit of Ecstasy are black, but the blackness is found deeper inside the car - it possesses the heart and soul of the machine, which is traditionally associated with angels rather than demons, and coerces you to do things with it that you wouldn’t traditionally expect to do with a Rolls...
Once we’d absorbed the lines of the car alongside a handful of other winery-going day trippers who were as arrested as us by the car’s incredible looks (and envious that the car ‘belonged’ to a pair of 25-year-olds), it was time to get moving.
Grip the thick door handles and pull open the hefty front-opening ‘suicide doors’, and enter a world of luxury. The carpets themselves are so thick that you’d be liable to lose an earring in their thick pile, whilst the buttons, switches, dials and controls are all solid and satisfying to the touch. The steering wheel itself is a near-perfect circle (no hand-cutouts here), which would slide across the palm of your hand with barely a complaint when straightening up after a turn, and the fasten seat-belt tone has to be the most polite seatbelt tone of any car on the market today. |
If you’ve never been behind the wheel of a Rolls, there’s a few things that immediately pique your interest. Most notably is the unusual ‘power reserve’ dial; essentially a tachometer of sorts, with one key difference. Instead of measuring engine speed like a normal car, the Power Reserve measures how much of the car’s full power you’re using and displays the balance. It’s a logical system - particularly considering that you’re likely not revving the V12 out to 9,000RPM like you would a GT3 RS - but takes a little getting used to. Bear in mind, Rolls-Royce does not offer the choice of manual shifting, even on its sportiest offering.
Rousing the Darkness Within
Firing up the V12 with the push of a button doesn’t quite have the same drama of more traditional V12 supercars either; the sound is hardly audible in the cabin, being fairly easily overpowered by the sound of the 285-section tyres on Jackalope’s gravel driveway. Once successfully navigating through the host of obligatory Range Rovers and Cayennes in the Jackalope car park and onto the open road, any nerves we had rapidly dissipated into relaxation and confidence.
Where the standard Rolls might focus its attention behind the driver in the passenger compartment, in the Black Badge the action has been moved in front of the driver and its ticking twin-turbo V12. The reserved, watchlike engine we had known in the car park had awoken into a roaring powerhouse, the car’s massive body eating up tarmac like a beluga whale eats krill. Don’t forget; this is the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built, and it unashamedly reminds you when you let a bit of the devil inside it out with your right foot. But just as a beluga can go in a straight line pretty well, it’s difficult to hide the fact that it’s a 2,440kg car; one might easily be taken by surprise by the light steering, requiring rapid corrections to avoid going long on the narrow Peninsula twisting roads into a farmer’s pinot crop.
One of the most satisfying sensations in this car was planting the throttle, the auto dropping a few cogs, and the car’s muscular hips squatting down and launching us into the distance with the full force of 870Nm of torque.
Cruising through these twisting backroads of the Peninsula’s Main Ridge on our way to the summit of Arthur’s Seat, performance is simply effortless and always on tap with impressive low-down torque coming from the eight-speed “self-learning” ZF ‘box. One of the most satisfying sensations in this car was planting the throttle, the auto dropping a few cogs, and the car’s muscular hips squatting down and launching us into the distance with the full force of 870Nm of torque. It’s the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built, and it proudly reminds you when you unleash its 465kW/870Nm. Don’t forget: this car is capable of pulling long burnouts on the Goodwood Hill Climb (watch the video) and a 4.5 second 100km/h sprint, so don’t be fooled by its RR heritage.
It was about the time we reached the summit of Arthur’s Seat that we recalled this fact, just as the torrential rain was setting in. Obligatory photos at one of Victoria’s most iconic automotive photography spots now revealed a near-black Wraith, almost as if it were reflecting the blackness in the sky in an attempt at seduction as the day’s adventure was taking its course... | Driving down the twisting ‘mountain’ road, particularly in the rain, was done with the lightest of hand and throttle, not to mention the ‘LOW’ button on the indicator stalk switched off - which returns throttle sensitivity and driving dynamics back to its more sensible ‘about town’ mode. Whilst the steering feel in the Black Badge is more visceral than the standard Wraith, it was still difficult to gauge the front wheel grip on the particularly wet roads which by this stage were covered in patches of standing water. For better or for worse, the car’s ability to shelter you from the outside world (in this case from the A-grade storm) is remarkable, cocooning you inside a world of luxury from the world and its ‘non luxury’ - if you choose to. |
Rain Room-bound
Hitting the freeway, with St Kilda’s ‘Rain Room’ installation in our sights, gave us some time to take a breath and observe the remarkable intricacy and detail of the interior, and really appreciate the BB’s ‘wafting’ credentials (still remember that term?). Having set the cruise control and melting back into the Bavarian bullhide seats, your eye is immediately pulled towards the ‘Technical Fibre’ replacing the usual wood paneling on the dash. Combining the best of tradition with the best of space-age tech, this modern injection was pleasantly juxtaposed against soft-touch white and black leather and obligatory contrast stitching covering the rest of the cabin, as well as retaining the oh-so-satisfying air vent plungers.
The BB has certainly evolved since the days of your grandfather’s Corniche... The renowned Starlight Headliner is another feature that you can’t miss, one which on our drive back in the dark would prove one of the most enchanting aspects of the car.
In a subtle homage to the ‘risk takers’ of old, including water-speed-record attemptees, the Infinity logo embossed in the rear seat, inset beneath the clock, and illuminated in the door sills is a nice touch to remind you of the infinite power that the Black Badge offers; not just the pure performance metrics of the car, but supposedly in its spirit and heart of darkness it possess - if you’re willing to unleash it in the car, and in yourself.
In a subtle homage to the ‘risk takers’ of old, including water-speed-record attemptees, the Infinity logo embossed in the rear seat, inset beneath the clock, and illuminated in the door sills is a nice touch to remind you of the infinite power that the Black Badge offers; not just the pure performance metrics of the car, but supposedly in its spirit and heart of darkness it possess - if you’re willing to unleash it in the car, and in yourself.
Short of driving a fully autonomous car, driving the Wraith is nearly too easy to drive at speed along the freeway; it retains the expected RR genetic traits despite its dark streak, including carrying us and our gear in complete sanctity at 100km/h, wafting along the freeway completely unchallenged by the road ahead. The right lane found itself unusually empty as cars merged away from the BB’s piercing daytime running-light gaze and black Spirit of Ecstasy rapidly chasing them down from behind - such is the presence of the Belladonna Purple coupe.
Not ten minutes from the Rain Room in St Kilda were we met with a ‘rain room’ of our own: torrential downpour that rendered the lines on the road completely invisible, and nearly overwhelmed the wiper blades which were working at full speed. Nonetheless, the confidence-inspiring Wraith pushed forward, led by the resolute Spirit of Ecstasy (whose wings by now had received a serious soaking) and the unique daytime-running lights, which pierced the wall of water with a fierce gaze.
Walk Into the Blackness
We arrived at the Rain Room filled with curiosity and indecision; do we leave our jackets in the car? Surely going into any ‘rain room’ would result in a soaking... At least we had a pair of colour-matched purple umbrellas, tucked away and at the ready in their own cubby holes in the doors, to keep us dry whilst crossing the street. Rolls-Royce certainly leaves no stone unturned when it comes to luxury, and it looked the part when we arrived at the room itself reserved just for MCS. Walk into the pitch black room, and you’re met with a raging torrent of water falling from the ceiling, lit by a sole pinpoint of light at one end. After words of encouragement from our guide, we confidently walked towards the wall of water, reminded of the Infinity symbol which had become our mantra for the trip (bold and daring), and proceeded to... not get wet?
Intelligent sensors dotted around the ceiling prevented our jackets and chinos (we had to get dressed up for the occasion, right?) from getting doused in water by shutting off the outlets above our heads, unlike our Spirit of Ecstasy friend who wasn’t so lucky. It made for an unexpected sensory experience...
As if it had made a conscious decision driven by a spirit which would never relent from following our backs, the car had been brought up to the roof and parked in the empty parking lot waiting for us to emerge from the darkness, all in time for some breathtaking late afternoon post-storm photo opportunities.
Intelligent sensors dotted around the ceiling prevented our jackets and chinos (we had to get dressed up for the occasion, right?) from getting doused in water by shutting off the outlets above our heads, unlike our Spirit of Ecstasy friend who wasn’t so lucky. It made for an unexpected sensory experience...
As if it had made a conscious decision driven by a spirit which would never relent from following our backs, the car had been brought up to the roof and parked in the empty parking lot waiting for us to emerge from the darkness, all in time for some breathtaking late afternoon post-storm photo opportunities.
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night
With our five-course dinner back at Jackalope rapidly approaching, we were afforded one last chance to get some daylight photos of the Wraith; this time, seaside in Sandringham against a dramatic sunset. Even more dramatic was the car, which had now well and truly earned a place in our hearts, after having carried us up and down the M1 through the most torrential rain that would sooner suit a rugged Mercedes G63 than a Rolls-Royce. It must be said that being able to still sit down in the plush seats after a long day was more than welcome, and we were thankful that the car’s Heart of Darkness could be set aside and open up a more relaxing, traditional RR driving experience. The Starlight Headliner proved the final step in the Wraith’s pre-meditated complete seduction; we almost had stars in our own eyes with our infatuation with its 1,300 optic fibre LEDs. We attempted to work out under which constellation we found ourselves, however a noticeable lack of any astronomical knowledge ended that conversation pretty quickly. |
We arrived back at Jackalope in the nick of time for dinner, and again were treated to prime parking - this time reserved with a red velvet rope. One last goodbye was difficult - there was now a shard of lust for adventure and mystery deeply embedded in our hearts, the allure of the car still tempting us back into the now-dark cabin for one more drive.
Sitting over our Abacore tuna and Marron in the avant-garde Doot-Doot-Doot Jackalope restaurant finally provided some time for reflection. The value of the car and the spirit of the Black Badge, which we had initially questioned, had finally become obvious; as an enabler of an outgoing, envelope-pushing attitude, the Black Badge affords incredible opportunities for not just MCS but for anyone who is lucky enough to be in a position to purchase one for themselves. It magnifies the risk taker in the new initiative to edge ever closer to their true, thrill-seeking, adventure-driven potential. It is the catalyst to unleash unexpected energy, one that is striving to go against tradition in pursuit of rebellion, just as the Black Badge Wraith in the Rolls-Royce family.