Litmus7 CEO Venu Gopalakrishnan made headlines when he bought the country’s first Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Black Badge. Back then, the car was on temporary plates. Enthusiasts have been waiting for the actual registration to happen. This CEO is very particular about registration plates and even spent Rs 46 lakh for a number plate for his Urus Performante- KL 07 DG 0007. His G63 AMG has plates that read ‘KL 07 DH 007’. We are yet to learn the registration number of the ultra-luxury sedan. An interesting video has now been shared online, showing a Motor Vehicle Inspector getting impressed by the Ghost Series II Black Badge and even taking it for a spin.
The video begins by showing the MV inspector inspecting the ultra-luxury sedan. The Series II Ghost Black Badge is finished in a dual tone exterior colour scheme- Black diamond and Gun Metal. We can see the officer smiling at the vehicle and getting impressed by its sheer size ( the Black badge Series II spans over 5.5 meters in its length!) and flamboyance. If we look carefully, the coach line finished in a Copper colour can also be seen. Later, the officer cross-checks the papers.
Later in the video, we see the Motor Vehicle inspector driving the multi-crore sedan. We can see the dual-tone posh cabin, wearing Phoenix Red and Black colours. The officer is seen driving slowly and carefully. He seems to be excited about the opportunity.
Rolls-Royce launched the Series II Ghost in India in February. The Black Badge version that went on sale alongside the regular car now has an ex-showroom price of Rs 10.51 Crores. The second-generation Ghost Black Badge is a major improvement over its predecessor. In addition to multiple visual improvements, it packs more features and technologies.
On the design front, the Series II Black Badge gets tweaked headlamps, bumpers with slight minor changes gone into them, better-looking wheels, and more. The standard car has a wheelbase of 3.3 meters, and the carmaker could also add another 170mm under its bespoke program.
Inside, new Ghost Series II Black Badge feels modern, geeky and very comfortable. Personalisation opportunities are available in abundance, as long as you have deep pockets. In its cabin, you can see a glass panel that runs along the width of the dashboard.
We can see similar setups in the Phantom and Cullinan as well. The infotainment system runs the latest generation ‘Spirit operating system’, and offers connectivity features as well. The seats are comfortable and come with massage, heating and cooling functions.
The sedan also comes with electric suicide doors at the rear and a bespoke audio system. The sound system is an 18-channel unit with a total output of 1400 kW. It offers Exciter speakers integrated into the headliners for an immersive audio experience.
The second generation of Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge uses the same 6.75L V12, twin-turbocharged petrol engine. It, however, produces 592bhp and 900 Nm (29 hp and 50 Nm more than the regular Ghost’s output figures). The carmaker commences the casting of this engine in Munich. The tug of torque can be accessed at rpms as low as 1700.
The Series II is underpinned by the 'Architecture of Luxury' platform. This architecture is also found in the Cullinan and Phantom as well. The first-generation Ghost, however, used to sit on an adaptation of the BMW 7 series’ platform. The new sedan also comes with a significantly better suspension setup