2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge: A Day within the Life…
5 min read
South Seaside, Miami was the upscale setting. The ultra-luxe Faena Resort was allegedly the place we might lay our heads, however you recognize South Seaside – the get together simply retains on going. Ocean racing in million-dollar speedboats, dinner on the most interesting steakhouse in Miami with free-flowing champagne, and after get together dancing till the Solar got here up can be a part of our expertise. And naturally, our desired transportation was a definitive assertion of bespoke luxurious: the 2022 Roll-Royce Ghost Black Badge.
The final word fantasy? Sure, for some, together with myself. However for a typical Rolls-Royce Black Badge proprietor, our expertise depicted what might be simply one other day in rarified air, as many homeowners have the monetary means to just about do what they need, and so they do it with gusto.
So when Roll-Royce invited a choose group of automotive and life-style journalists to South Seaside to expertise “A Day within the Life,” I used to be completely unaware of what to anticipate. What we skilled will go down within the annals of my journey, life-style and automotive experiences as merely “epic.”
“Black Badge isn’t a couple of automotive,” mentioned Richard Carter, Director of World Communications for Rolls-Royce Motorcars, who hosted our expertise. “It’s extra about an ethos, a way of life. If you perceive the notion of that, you perceive Rolls-Royce Motorcars.”
Our day started with an beautiful buffet lunch at Faena Resort, some of the eclectic accommodations on South Seaside. Initially the Saxony Resort, the property opened in 1948 and was thought of probably the most lavish and costly resort of its time. In 2015, Alan Faena reimagined the property with the aim of reaching a brand new benchmark for luxurious and hospitality. At present, Faena Resort recollects the glamour of the 1950’s with clever visible languages and gorgeous Artwork Deco therapies from the gold-gilded grand lobby to fascinating artifacts, together with a Wooly Mammoth skeleton sculpture on show within the Faena out of doors cabana space referred to as “Mammoth Backyard.” These fastidiously curated design components are a part of the explanation for the recognition of the property, the place typical weekend costs are over $1,100 per night time, relying on season.
From lunch we headed to the Miami Seaside Marina in a fleet of Rolls-Royce Cullinans, the last word luxurious Sport-Ute. There, we boarded a pair of Midnight Categorical speedboats, every that includes a number of outboard motors outputting over 2400 horsepower. Our boats had been the 43-foot “Open” mannequin, with seating for as much as 20. Relying on motor configurations, speeds of as much as 85 miles per hour are attainable. After a couple of velocity runs on easy Biscayne Bay, we drooled on the luxurious properties on Star Island, and crossed underneath the Venetian Causeway. We then headed out onto the Atlantic Ocean. Our ready captain politely instructed us to “maintain on,” after which he let the Midnight Categorical unfastened. We hit a screaming 75 mph, which looks like you’re going 150 mph on land. Massive enjoyable, and at $1.3 million for every rig, one other typical journey for a Black Badge proprietor, who might have a Midnight Categorical as a smaller boat once they’re not on their 100 foot plus, ocean-going yacht.
After the exhilarating experience on water, it was time to drive and exhilarating motorcar, the brand new Ghost Black Badge.
What’s Black Badge? It’s the darker, extra sensuous facet of the storied marque from Goodwood, United Kingdom. Black Badge is for many who reject conformity and stay on their very own phrases. It’s for the innovators, trailblazers, rule-breakers, and above all – those that dare.
Black Badge can also be bolder in efficiency and dealing with, and provides myriad customization choices by way of Rolls’ Bespoke Program.
It’s necessary to notice that Black Badge fashions have radically modified the demographic for Rolls-Royce. Only a few years in the past, the typical age of those that fee their Rolls was 56. At present it’s 43 years outdated. Whereas some earlier fashions appealed to those that wished to be pushed, right this moment’s Black Badge fashions attraction to those that wish to drive.
So Ghost joins Daybreak, Wraith and Cullinan within the Black Badge steady, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Earlier than driving round Miami together with iconic Little Havana, we carried out testing at a park adjoining to South Seaside’s white sands. Underneath the security eye of native constables, we executed acceleration runs and skilled how Ghost Black Badge’s subtle all-wheel drive system carried out underneath arduous figure-eight maneuvers on a slcik palm-leaf-strewn street floor, the place the Ghost stored its composure.
Concerning acceleration, Ghost Black Badge felt like an electrical automotive from Porsche or Tesla, as this child completely flies. Energy comes from the venerable twin turbo 6.75-liter V12, outputting 592 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. Want a bit extra energy and a throatier exhaust observe? Put Ghost Black Badge in “Low” driving mode and it actually involves life. This automotive is quick, quiet, handles like a sports activities automotive, and naturally, is laden with final luxurious accoutrements.
My check Ghost carried a MSRP of $395,500. The Black Badge bundle provides a big quantity of facilities, and is priced at $43,850.
Numerous choices from two-tone paint, to immersive seating, to rear picnic tables and rather more raised the entire tally to $519,175, inclusive of vacation spot and gasoline guzzler prices.
Our “Day within the Life” was capped by a scrumptious steak and champagne dinner at famend Papi Steak, the place we shut the place down by rolling up in a fleet of ten Ghost and Cullinan Black Badge fashions. After dinner noticed us dancing until daybreak on the Faena Nightclub.
What a powerful expertise, because it was a grand have a look at how “one percenters” might select to stay their expressive lives. Thanks Rolls-Royce for the expertise!
Lastly, many Rolls-Royce house owners are true Pursuitists which have additionally demonstrated excessive ranges of philanthropy worldwide.
Given the fashionable nature of the automobiles they select, that doesn’t shock me in any respect.
