CEO Buys India's First Rolls Royce Ghost Series II Black Badge
Rolls Royce has commenced the delivery of India's first Series II Ghost Black Badge. The bespoke ultra-luxury sedan goes to a much-talked-about garage in South India. Litmus7 CEO Venu Gopalakrishnan, the entrepreneur who made headlines by spending Rs 46 lakh on a VIP number for his new Urus Performante, is the owner of this Ghost as well. He shared the big news through an Instagram post that shows him receiving the car at a private event.
This start-up CEO bought his Black Badge Ghost Series II from Rolls Royce Chennai. The manufacturer currently has its showrooms set up in four Indian cities- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. In true car guy fashion, Venu Gopalakrishnan has opted for an insane spec for his new Ghost. The dual tone (Black diamond and Gun Metal) exterior colourway of this car stands unique. The coachline seems to be finished in a classy Copper colour. The cabin gets a bespoke two-tone colourway comprising Phoenix Red and Black.
More About The Black Badge Ghost Series II
Rolls Royce launched the Series II Ghost and its Black Badge guise in India, in February. The latter has an ex-showroom price of 10.51 Crores. 'Series 2' denotes that the vehicle is currently in its second generation. Rolls Royce says that customers love the Ghost as much for its dynamics as for its luxury. The Series II, they say, is a major improvement on these grounds. It boasts several visual improvements over its predecessor.
The Series II features a new, improved headlamp design, reworked bumpers, better wheels and more. The Black Badge opens the doors to bespoke options and heightened performance.
The Series 2 Ghost Black Badge is huge in dimensions. The overall length of the sedan spans a little over 5.5 metres. The wheelbase amounts to 3.3 meters. Rolls Royce could add another 170mm under the bespoke program, should you wish for it.
Now, lets look at the powertrain. The Ghost Black Badge continues to be powered by the massive 6.75L V12, twin-turbocharged petrol engine. The casting of this motor is done in Munich. It weighs about 2,490 kilograms- with 100 odd kilos coming from the acoustic damping material alone. This powertrain is capable of generating 592bhp and 900Nm. Interestingly, the torque chunk can be accessed at rpms as low as 1700. (The non-Black badge version has an output of 563bhp and 850Nm).
Unlike before, the Series II Ghost's platform isn't an adaptation of the BMW 7 series' architecture. It is built on the 'Architecture of Luxury' platform, shared with the Phantom and the Cullinan. It comes with a spectacular suspension setup for unmatched ride quality and comfort.
Speaking of comfort, Rolls Royce has done every bit to make the series 2 Ghost's cabin as modern, geeky and comfortable as possible while still retaining the signature luxury quotient. It now features a pillar-to-pillar glass panel like the bigger and more expensive Phantom and Cullinan.
The infotainment system and connectivity suite have been updated. The former now features Rolls' new-age Spirit operating system. The seats offer massage, heating and cooling functions.
The rear suicide doors are electrically operated. Another major highlight is the bespoke audio system. The 18-channel unit now comes with Exciter speakers integrated into the headliners, and has a combined output of 1400W.
Other Cars Owned By Venu Gopalakrishnan
This CEO loves Lamborghini. His garage houses two unique Lambos- a Sterrato (!) and an Urus Performante. He also owns a Porsche 911 Turbo S. Gopalakrishnan can often be spotted driving the Urus and the Porsche through the streets of Kochi, especially on the roads near Smart City, where he has his office.
This CEO also has a thing for motorcycles, and owns a BMW M1000 XR. His social media handles have pictures of him going on long rides with the same.