The thing about super luxury automotive is that there is so much to enjoy aside from their core function of being able to take you from “A-to-B”, at times it’s hard to know what aspect to focus on. When it comes to Rolls-Royce, this problem is amplified exponentially. That said, with the Rolls-Royce Black Badge editions, there are always two key aspects that immediately stand out; the edgy styling and the aggressive drive.

My first drive of the Rolls Royce Black Badge Wraith (video review here) completely changed how I saw Rolls-Royce from a driver’s perspective. For me, the signature of a Rolls-Royce is its fabled magic carpet ride — the ability to make passenger literally feel like you’re seated on clouds. Many automotive companies thrive on their ability to make cars with sharp handling and push the boundaries of speed, but the Rolls-Royce mandate almost takes them the other way, focusing on manufacturing vehicles that are incredibly comfortable to ride; the term “Land Yacht” in not validated only in reference to the size of a Rolls-Royce, but its soft-undulating movement as you glide down the road.

This is a first look at the Black Badge Cullinan, and my early impressions are that it has been tweaked and augmented in just the way I hoped it would be. The matte black grill and matte interior touches show the progression from previous Black Badge editions, and the evolution from a gloss piano black finish gives a nod to the current modification-culture. They’ve also opted for bright red brake-calipers, as opposed to the more subtle tonal grey used on previous editions, giving the car a much more aggressive look from the distance. One of the unique features of the Cullinan is the viewing suite at its rear, allowing you to take in views — or to watch an event — at any given opportunity. The Cullinan Black Badge has tweaked this feature giving the seats bold colouring, to reflect the contrast detailing seen throughout the interior of the car.

My favourite button on any Black Badge Edition Rolls-Royce is the “Low” button on the stalk; something I didn’t realise had a such a significant impact on the drive until I took the Rolls-Royce Ghost around a race circuit a few years back. Though the name may sound irreverent, “Low” is essentially Rolls-Royce’s equivalent of “Sports Mode” and tightens up the handling along with the acceleration profile to make for a more aggressive drive. Add this to the 50NM of extra torque you get in the Black Badge Cullinan, you’re looking at a very meaty drive indeed.

In my recent DRIVEN review of the Cullinan I came to the conclusion that it was quite possibly my favourite Rolls-Royce; the early signs are that this new Black Badge Cullinan is going to tip the scales even further in that direction.

Black Badge Cullinan