Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PressClub · Article.
BLACK BADGE CULLINAN 'BLUE SHADOW': A BESPOKE JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF SPACE
30.05.2023 Press Release
Rolls-Royce is delighted to present the stunning Black Badge Cullinan 'Blue Shadow' Private Collection, exploring the beauty and mystery of space. For this unique creation, leading Rolls-Royce designers drew inspiration from the Kármán Line, the invisible boundary 62 miles above the Earth's surface, where our planet’s atmosphere ends and outer space begins.
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Malika Abdullaeva
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils stunning Black Badge Cullinan 'Blue Shadow' Private Collection
- Inspired by the Kármán Line - the mysterious invisible boundary 62 miles above the Earth’s surface, where outer space begins
- Limited to 62 examples worldwide, available exclusively through Rolls-Royce Private Office
- 'Edge of Space' fascia artwork finished in lacquer incorporating blue and clear glass
- 'Lunar' Starlight Headliner features 250,000 stitches and 1,183 fibre-optic ‘stars’
- Leather seating with 75,000 individual perforations creates unique impression of ‘Earth from space’
- A matching Bespoke car cover, luggage set and 1:8 scale model replica of Blue Shadow available to commission
“With Black Badge Cullinan Blue Shadow, we venture to the
fabled Kármán Line, where the constraints of Earth give way to the
infinite freedom of outer space: a zone of incomparable beauty,
mystery and boundless possibility. In creating Blue Shadow, the
Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople captured
this spirit by embarking on their own voyage of discovery, once
again pushing the boundaries of craftsmanship. Blue Shadow is a
testament to our relentless pursuit of perfection and a celebration
of the spirit of exploration, designed for the unique individuals
who expand horizons and represent the very best of human endeavour.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce is delighted to present the stunning
Black Badge Cullinan 'Blue Shadow' Private Collection, exploring the
beauty and mystery of space. For this unique creation, leading
Rolls-Royce designers drew inspiration from the Kármán Line, the
invisible boundary 62 miles above the Earth's surface, where our
planet’s atmosphere ends and outer space begins.
In this mystical, ethereal region, the blue of the sky we see on
Earth fades into the blackness of space, creating an intense dark-blue
zone where darkness becomes visible. It is a beautiful, silent,
mysterious world reserved for a select and adventurous few, perfectly
encapsulating the essence of Blue Shadow.
This new Bespoke interpretation of Black Badge Cullinan is
available exclusively through the marque’s Private Offices and is
strictly limited to just 62 examples globally, one for every mile from
Earth to the Kármán Line.
EXTERIOR: THE SHADES OF BLUE
The extraordinary,
shimmering new Bespoke 'Stardust Blue' exterior paint captures the
deep blue colour of the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. The
finish of the thermal tiles used to shield homebound Space Shuttles
from the intense heat of atmospheric re-entry are recalled in the
satin-tinted grille surround and aero bumper insert sets.
Drawing further from the materials used in spacecrafts, the
Spirit of Ecstasy is created using 3D printing techniques in titanium
and finished with a thin layer of blue-tinted lacquer which adds
pearlescence while revealing the titanium’s grained texture. The Black
Badge infinity logo and ‘Blue Shadow’ Private Collection name are
engraved on the Spirit of Ecstasy base and infilled with Charles Blue.
Completing the exterior aesthetic, Blue Shadow’s wheels are subtly
darkened using a translucent lacquer.
INTERIOR: ELEVATED PERSPECTIVE
At the Kármán
line, the visible edge of Earth's atmosphere appears as an ethereal
blue halo. This transition from blue sky to the inky darkness of space
is captured on Blue Shadow's unique painted fascia and door panels.
These were created using six layers of paint, combining five different
shades of blue with a deep black hue to produce a mesmerizing
three-dimensional effect. The final touch is a clear-coat layer
incorporating blue and clear glass particles to add further depth and
lustre – the ratio was precisely identified down to a fraction of a
percent: it is exactly 0.05%. The fascia is completed with a Bespoke
clock, unique to the Private Collection, which features light blue
anodized details and 'Blue Shadow' engraving.
‘EDGE OF SPACE’ HEADLINER
With ‘Blue Shadow’,
Rolls-Royce have taken the marque’s fabled Starlight Headliner to an
even more stellar level: an intricate Moon embroidery, surrounded by
an array of ‘stars’, teleports the passengers to the edge of space.
Representing the Moon's surface with its multitude of craters in three
dimensions, the embroidery incorporates five different colours of
thread, each applied with a different technique to produce a
distinctive texture. In total, the embroidery is created from 250,000
separate stitches – a process that takes two entire days to complete.
Filling the cabin with a gentle glow and a sense of wonder, the
Starlight Headliner contains a total of 1,183 ‘stars’ – 799 white and
384 blue – each individually placed in the leather canvas through
perforated holes, precisely chalked and punched by hand. To add to the
Headliner's mystique and ambiance, the twinkling effect of the
fibre-optic ‘stars’ is further enhanced for an even more enchanting glow.
NEW ART CANVAS: PERFORATED LEATHER
In a first for Rolls-Royce, the front and rear seats
feature a unique perforated artwork, inspired by the view of Earth
from space. Formed from a multitude of tiny perforations in the
leather, the pattern conjures up the impression of organic,
ever-shifting clouds swirling over the continents and oceans.
These perforations are made in two different sizes: the smaller
(just 0.8 mm in diameter) form the land, while the slightly larger
(1.2 mm) define the sea; the blank spaces of leather in between
represent the clouds. Each seat has over 75,000 perforations, all
individually placed. The pattern took two weeks to design and
underwent five trials before it attained the exceptional level of
quality required by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective. The result is
perfect alignment of the design, ensuring a cohesive, uniform
appearance across all four seats.
The seats' perforation pattern is extended to the picnic table
backs. Once lowered, the picnic tables themselves are finished in
Piano Black veneer and incorporate a glass sparkle finish, evoking the
view into the darkness of space. Each table also includes the
Collection theme text, inlaid in polished aluminium beneath the top
lacquer layer – ‘The Blue Shadow occurs at the outer extremes of
our world, affording an extraordinary perspective, and the ability
to touch the stars’.
BESPOKE ACCESSORIES
The Rolls-Royce Bespoke
Collective created a series of unique accessories to complement Black
Badge Cullinan Blue Shadow. The exclusive indoor car cover echoes the
pattern seen on the seats. To accompany the driver and passengers on
their adventures, there is a unique luggage set that continues the
Private Collection’s colourway. Clients can also commission an exact
1:8 scale replica of their full-size Black Badge Cullinan Blue Shadow,
featuring fully functioning exterior and interior lights, opening and
closing coach doors and an interior recreating all the Collection
details, including the Bespoke Illuminated Collection Treadplates.
Black Badge Cullinan 'Blue Shadow' is available exclusively via
the Private Office. All 62 examples have been allocated to clients worldwide.
CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION.
Black Badge Cullinan: NEDCcorr (combined) CO2 emission: 343 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.7 mpg / 15.1 l/100km WLTP (combined) CO2 emission: 377-370 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.0-17.3 mpg / 16.6-16.3 l/100km.