CAR magazine UK drives the high-performance Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge with pictures, specs and verdict
Black Badge is Rolls-Royce’s mean, moody sub-brand. It’s a stretch to call it sporty, as much of the difference is in the trim and colours, but Black Badge models do get a bit more power and a louder exhaust note when you work the throttle.
The Black Badge version of the mid-2024 facelifted Cullinan, dubbed Series II in Rolls-speak, arrives at the same time as the regular version.At a glanceWhat’s new? There’s no hybridisation. Unavoidably, because it’s a big V12 pulling a heavy, unaerodynamic car, it’s not clean or frugal.The engine drives all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s no manual gearshifting by paddles or stick – you engage gear with a stalk on the steering column.
In Off Road mode, the air suspension increases the car’s height by 40mm to improve clearance over rocks and ruts. The gearing and traction control are automatically adjusted to cope with loose surfaces. The brakes, as before, could be more powerful; don’t be fooled by the red calipers fitted as standard to the Black Badge – these are nothing trick. There are times when you’d want a bit more power and a more direct-feeling connection between pedal and retardation.
It all very hushed, even at those times when the driver is making haste. It feels more like floating than riding along on big wheels. And you get to look up at the fake night sky, which can be oddly calming. The cabin is more digital than before, but that’s still mixed with a lot of physical switches and dials. The driver’s instruments are digital, with a central screen that can be operated by touch or by the iDrive rotary controller, and many functions can also be operated by voice.
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