Rolls Royce Bid Goodbye To V12 Engine With Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow | V3Cars

What Makes The RR Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Special?

The name Black Arrow is derived from the black arrows painted on the 1930s Thunderbolt land-speed record car, which was powered by a Rolls-Royce V12 engine meant for aircraft. While the Thunderbolt was finished in polished aluminium, black arrows were painted to its streamlined body to allow measuring equipment to precisely detect the car against the white backdrop of the Bonneville Salt Flats, where it attempted to break the land speed record.

The Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow gets a unique, graduated paint finish, which is a first for Rolls Royce. It starts with silver at the front and progresses to black at the rear. Rolls-Royce stated that achieving the perfect look took around 18 months of research Bright yellow details were added to provide contrast, such as the struts located between the grille and engine. This added accent draws attention to the region beneath the grille, where the V12 engine is housed.

The yellow accents continue on the inside, where an illuminated piece in the shape of a thunderbolt is positioned in the centre console. The dash above the glovebox also includes a representation of the Wraith's 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12.

The roof lining also contains the most LED lights ever utilised in a Rolls-Royce, with 2,117 fibre optic ‘stars’ organised to depict the location of the stars in the Milky Way on the night of September 16, 1938 – the day the Thunderbolt attempted to break the land speed record.

The car's technical specifications and price are yet to be revealed by Rolls-Royce. The Wraith Black Badge's twin-turbocharged V12 produces 632PS and 870Nm, so the Black Arrow is expected to offer similar performance figures.

What’s Next For Rolls-Royce? 

Rolls-Royce unveiled its first electric vehicle, the Spectre, in October 2022. The 2-door, 4-seat electric coupe is positioned as a spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupe. The Spectre is built on the same Architecture of Luxury space frame platform as the Phantom saloon. Although the technical specifications aren’t set in stone, Rolls Royce have hinted the Spectre's electric motor could produce 585PS of power and 900Nm of torque and offer a WLTP-certified range of 520km on a single charge. The new EV coupe is the first step in the British brand’s aim to go all-electric by 2030. You can read more about the Spectre by clicking the link below.

Also Read: Rolls Royce Spectre EV Unveiled

Note: Check your car’s fuel cost with Fuel Cost Calculator India