By J.A. Ackley
Mar 20, 2023
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Rolls-Royce,
Bonneville Salt Flats,
Thunderbolt
Photography courtesy Rolls-Royce
Meet the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow, the last V12 coupe from Rolls-Royce. The storied marque will build only 12 of them before entering the age of all-electric cars.
The automaker drew inspiration for this car from the Thunderbolt, which set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats of 357.497 mph in 1938. It was a 7-ton, eight-wheeled behemoth powered by two Rolls-Royce V12 aero engines. All these years later, Thunderbolt still holds the record for the fastest V12-powered vehicle, according to Rolls-Royce.
The coach doors, lined with open-pore Black Wood, feature “a complex design comprising over 320 multi-directional and lasered marquetry pieces that mimics the cracked, irregular surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats. This extraordinary feature also extends onto the rear ‘Waterfall’ panel, which separates the two rear seats.”
The headliner uses 2117 fiber-optic stars–“the greatest number ever seen in a Rolls-Royce.” All the stars are arranged by hand, and depict the night sky as it would have appeared at the Bonneville Salt Flats when the land speed record was set on September 16, 1938.
This is also the first Rolls-Royce with a gradient paint finish, with colors graduating between Celebration Silver and Black Diamond. A glass-infused “Crystal” paint over layer amplifies the transitionary effect.
If you’re looking to obtain a Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow, you’re out of luck. All 12 have already been allocated to clients around the world.
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