Rolls-Royce'S Black Badge Ghost Gamer Edition Alludes To Classic Arcade Games

A "Cheeky Alien" and "Plxel Blaster" are included among the 8-Bit-themed Easter Eggs in customised Rolls.

Rolls-Royce

Someone should notify Pac-Man that he must contend with an additional ghost. The 8-bit era of gaming unexpectedly influenced the next distinctive vehicle produced by Rolls-Royce's Bespoke division. Despite its seemingly clichéd concept, the finished product successfully integrates top-tier 21st-century coachbuilding with 1980s video arcades.

The Black Badge Ghost Gamer features a two-tone appearance, with Salamanca Blue on the main body and Crystal over Diamond Black on the upper body, embodying an abstract automotive representation of arcade cabinet colour schemes and displays. The "Cheeky Alien" serves as a more explicit connection to the subject, featuring a retro design made up of 89 hand-painted 3mm by 3mm "pixel" squares positioned above the coachline.

“Cheeky Alien” acts as the forerunner to the interior's collection of geek-themed elements, beginning with seatback embroideries labelled “Player 1” to “Player 4” in an 8-bit neon font and headrests embellished with a pixelated alien motif. The carbon fibre segment between the rear seats, termed the “Waterfall,” features inlaid stainless steel flying saucers situated above a hand-painted lunar illustration, inspired by vintage video game cabinets, as stated by Rolls-Royce. The seemingly simple image required over two weeks of preparation and numerous paint samples before being meticulously created using a combination of brushwork and sponging techniques.

Rolls-Royce

Above the scene is a "Pixel Blaster" rendition of the starry headliner, with a configuration of 80 bitmapped battlecruisers that have adopted Rolls-Royce's renowned "shooting star" light display to simulate laser fire. The dashboard similarly displays a gunship composed of 85 individual stars that illuminate sequentially to create the illusion of motion. The commission is completed with the “Cheeky Alien’s” final illustration on the rear picnic table and illuminated treadplates engraved with “PRESS START,” “LOADING…,” “LEVEL UP,” and “INSERT COIN.”

The Black Badge edition features the high-performance 6.75-liter V12 engine from Rolls-Royce, delivering 603 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to accelerate to 60 mph in 4 seconds. While the base vehicle presumably incurred a cost of around $420,000 for the customer, the expense associated with the "Gamer" facelift remains unknown. “During the month, we explored the 8-bit aesthetic that defined late 1970s and early 1980s gaming—from the games and archival images of arcade venues to original promotional and cabinet artwork,” stated Rolls-Royce Bespoke designer Joshua McCandless.