The Rolls Royce Wraith has lingered in Rolls Royce’s lineup for the past few years. We even had the opportunity to briefly sample a Wraith Black Badge several years ago at MAMA’s Spring Rally. However, production of this ghostly coupe and the V12 that powers it is coming to an end, with the company unveiling one final Wraith model, the Black Badge Black Arrow Edition.
Rarity Thy Name Is Black Arrow
In keeping with the theme, these Black Arrow models will be rare members of the breed with Rolls Royce confirming that they only plan to build 12 examples before ceasing production. The exterior styling retains some of the core details that made their initial appearance in 2013, but while the basic Black Badge cues remain intact, Black Arrow models get grey paint with black contrast accents while splashes of yellow trim adorn the lower bumper and the inner parts of the blackened chrome waterfall grille.
The interior is where things get much wilder with the interior featuring yellow leather seats, yellow trim on the leather wrapped steering wheel and a small splash of yellow along the dashboard. Rolls claims that this is called “club leather” materials with the various hues promoting enhanced color contrast and more natural leather markings. The dashboard even features a cutout illustration of the V12 as well as a 357 mph number engraved on the dash mounted clock. This is a nod to the 1938 Thunderbolt which set a world land speed record and used two Rolls-Royce soured V12 Aero engines. It was also used on the Landspeed Edition Wraith. Open pore Black wood trim is also splashed inside including on the waterfall style panel that separates the two rear seats.
Performance Shines In Bespoke Rolls
Performance for the Rolls Royce Wraith Black Badge Arrow Edition comes from the long running 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine which makes 624-hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. Rolls Royce claims that this V12 is the smoothest it has ever produced (it certainly proved that in a Cullinan Black Badge we experienced a short while back). The V12’s unique character has always helped shape the core personality of many Rolls Royce models and it will certainly be missed.
Rolls Royce didn’t release pricing for the Black Arrow but we suspect that’s because all of them have been spoken for. However, look for the price tag to be a noticeable premium over the base $350,000 asking price for a Wraith coupe. Rolls Royce was quick to point out that the Wraith helped bring in a new wave of younger buyers and the British ultra-luxury maker is hoping that the same will hold true for its first all-electric model the Spectre. Â
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Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.