Rolls-Royce Cullinan Blue Shadow looks to night sky for inspiration

A rich blue, inspired by the phenomenon of earth’s surface mixing with the darkness of space is chief among many bespoke details embued onto 62 of Rolls-Royce’s Cullinan Black Badge bearing the new Blue Shadow moniker.

Image: Rolls-Royce

It’s called the Kármán line and it’s the arbitrary zone that attempts to mark the boundary between the final layer of Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. Measured approximately 62 miles or 100 km above the surface of the planet, it is essentially where the final frontier begins.

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Accustomed to creating products that would be no stranger to the heavens, Rolls-Royce has now used this intangible phenomenon to usher 62 of the Cullinan SUVs into the terrestrial world – all of which are already accounted for. This number represents one for every mile from Earth to the Kármán Line.

Image: Rolls-Royce

Its captivating presence is amplified by the mesmerizing Stardust Blue paintwork accompanied by black trim – a bespoke hue crafted specifically for this model. Renowned for attention to detail, the Spirit of Ecstasy on this Rolls-Royce is created using 3D printing techniques in titanium and finished with a thin layer of blue-tinted lacquer. The Black Badge infinity logo and ‘Blue Shadow’ Private Collection name are engraved on its base and infilled with Charles Blue. Completing the exterior aesthetic, Blue Shadow’s wheels are subtly darkened using a translucent lacquer.

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Speaking of performance, the 6,75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine sits up front, specifically tuned for the Black Badge variant, delivering an impressive 441 kW and enough torque to kickstart a planet, or 900 N.m to be exact. The powerplant is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission which is delivered to all corners. The endows the Cullinan Black Badge Blue Shadow with stellar performance, 0-100 km/h in 5,2 seconds.

That aside, the interior is the party piece of the model. From unique painted fascia and door panels to minuscule details on the clock, no stone has been left unturned for the Blue Shadow. As with all Rolls-Royce models of the modern age, the headliner is part and parcel of the cabin experience and the Blue Shadow has received a bespoke configuration titled ‘Edge of Space’.

Image: Rolls-Royce

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.

Aiding this are a total of 1 183 illuminated ‘stars’ – 799 white and 384 blue – each individually placed in the leather canvas through perforated holes, precisely chalked and punched by hand. Gently twinkling to add further ambience and realism to the vastness of the night sky. 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,

Image: Rolls-Royce

Buyers of the 62 Blue Shadow units will also receive several bespoke accessories including an indoor car cover with the same pattern theme from the seats, a unique luggage set and a commissionable 1:8 scale replica of their own model.

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