With distinctive external and interior features inspired by the solar eclipse, Rolls-Royce unveiled an exceptional edition of the Black Badge Ghost they termed Ekleipsis. There are only 25 units available for the model, and they have all been reserved.
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection is the full name of the sedan. The primary exterior color is a deep Lyrical Copper with a unique "powdered copper pigment" treatment that creates an iridescent look when illuminated. The hand-painted coachline, center caps, and brake calipers have Mandarin accents that are painted to approximate the hue of the setting sun as it gradually begins to block out the moon in the stages preceding to a total eclipse.
For a Rolls Royce, the inside is a little bit more dramatic than the exterior, and the high-contrast colors somewhat bring to mind Mansory's earlier creations. Mandarin and black are combined for the "Panoramic Sunset" concept in the perforated leather of the bi-colored seats. A total solar eclipse is represented on the dashboard fascia by 1,846 laser-etched stars that took more than 100 hours to accomplish. In addition, the analog watch is embellished with a brilliant 0.5-carat diamond set into the custom bezel. Designers at Rolls-Royce applied Mandarin piping to the door-mounted umbrellas and lighted side sills.
The dynamic Starlight Headliner, which features a dark area in the center surrounded by 940 stars and 192 additional stars dispersed farther out, is still the pièce de résistance of the interior. Every time the driver starts the engine and the doors close, this animation imitates the impression of a solar eclipse. The spectacle is visible for the maximum amount of time for a complete solar eclipse—7 minutes and 31 seconds. Following that time, the headliner resumes its standard starry-sky look that is present in all other Rolls-Royce vehicles.
The special edition is based on the performance-oriented Black Badge Ghost, which has an upgraded twin-turbo 6.75-liter V12 engine that generates 592 horsepower (441 kW/600 PS). An eight-speed automatic transmits power to all four wheels, and the Ghost-specific planar suspension provides the vehicle's renowned "magic carpet" ride.
The special Ghost's October 12 premiere is quite near to the Western Hemisphere's October 14 solar eclipse, which will be seen there. The business said that the 25 Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection samples had already been assigned to "clients around the world" but did not provide the cost of the collection.
