Rolls-Royce Dawn Gets the Black Badge Treatment

In an effort to cater to overwhelming demand from a new, more radical breed of customers for edgier models, Rolls-Royce introduced the Black Badge series last year with the Wraith and the Ghost being the first two models to get the brand’s bespoke division’s unique touch.

Featuring a darker appearance with generous dose of blacked out components including the ‘Spirit of Ecstacy’ hood ornament, the front grille and even the tailpipes, the Black Badge series is dubbed as the brand’s darker ‘alter-ego’.

While many expected the Black Badge series to stop with the two aforementioned models, Rolls-Royce today announced that a third member has joined the family – the Dawn.

All set to make its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, the Dawn Black Badge is presented in a deeply intense shade of black, where multiple layers of paint and lacquer have been applied and hand-polished in a process that amounts to what the brand describes as the most exhaustive painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour.

Complementing the colour is the roof which is also only available in black canvas, and the rear deck finished in black leather.

The Dawn’s transformation to a darker aesthetic extends to certain chrome surfaces including the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, exhaust pipes and air inlet finisher. The ‘Double R’ signifiers on the Rolls-Royce badges are also inverted in colour.

The edgy design ethos extends into the cabin as well, which features a generous dose aircraft grade aluminium bonded in carbon fibre, black leather seats with Mandarin highlights, and a strip of orange highlight which encircles the cabin at hip-height.  

Powering the Dawn Black Badge is the same 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 engine and 8-speed automatic gearbox as the standard Dawn, but with a completely new exhaust system.

Thanks to the new exhausts, the car now produces 30PS and 20Nm more than the normal Dawn, bringing the final output and maximum torque numbers to 563bhp and 840 Nm respectively.

The Dawn Black Badge’s brakes are also new and larger (by an inch) than the standard production version, offering improved stopping power. Last but not the least, the steering-rack has also been quickened and engineered for more feedback. 

According to Rolls-Royce, the combination of the new exhaust system, larger brakes and the tweaked steering have resulted in the car offering a more spirited driving experience compared to the standard Dawn.

Available for commission through Rolls-Royce, the Dawn Black Badge will make its first official public appearance this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.