In March last year, Rolls-Royce had introduced a performance sub-brand named ‘Black Badge’ that was created to lure in younger customers by giving them ultra-luxurious cars that not only look bad-ass but also have proper sporty driving dynamics. Launched in the variants of the Ghost and Wraith, Rolls-Royce has now presented the next chapter to the Black Badge story – a more powerful, more purposeful and more black version of the Dawn. Unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Rolls Royce Dawn Black Badge gets an extra 30 horsepower which has been extracted from the same 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12, taking the total horsepower to 593. The torque is also up by 15lb ft to 620lb ft. The 0 to 62mph sprint takes 4.9 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155mph.
The Dawn Black Badge’s mechanical upgrades, however, are not restricted to just a more potent engine. Rolls-Royce has also introduced a new dual-mode exhaust on the model that includes a “Low” button in the cabin that creates “a menacing bass baritone,” according to the luxury automaker. Additionally, the brakes are also new and an inch bigger in diameter than the regular Dawn’s and the steering has been “quickened and engineered for more feedback.”
Visually, the BB is finished in the “deepest, darkest and most intense black to ever grace a production car surface.” All chrome fittings also feature a darkened finish, including the Spirit of Ecstasy, complementing the overall black theme of the car. On the inside, the cabin is wrapped in a mix of carbon fiber, ebony, and black leather which are beautifully contrasted with a splash of orange trim bits. Rolls-Royce has not revealed the pricing of the BB. But considering the regular Dawn starts around $340,000, we expect the price tag of this murdered out variant to hit the $400,000 mark.
