This is the very last Rolls-Royce coupe with a V12

For a long time it was taken for granted that a Rolls-Royce would have a V12 on its nose, but those times are about to change. It won’t be long before the brand’s two-door coupe features an all-electric powertrain. Not before the very latest version of the Wraith, dubbed the Black Arrow, was unveiled.

And that makes this Rolls-Royce Wraith the last coupe with a V12 in the nose. The British will only build 12 of these, so this is actually a very exclusive series. The model is based on the Black Badge version, but of course it has a unique and own history.

Fastest vehicle with V12

The addition Black Arrow does not come out of nowhere. Rolls-Royce travels back to 1938 when engineer George Eyston attempted a speed test with the eight-wheeled Thunderbolt, fitted with two Rolls-Royce V12 aircraft engines. Together they managed to reach an insane speed of 575.335 km/h, which still makes Thunderbolt the fastest V12 vehicle ever built.

Are we still not at the Black Arrow name that Rolls-Royce is putting on this Wraith. For that we need to go to this speed measurement. Because it was very hard to see as the vehicle passed the measuring equipment on the Utah Salt Flats and through Thunderbolt’s aluminum sled, George Eyston had to find a solution. It came in the form of a big, black arrow that they drew on Thunderbolt on a yellow background. The name Black Arrow refers to this unique land speed record from the 1930s.

power spirit

That doesn’t mean that this Wraith Black Badge Black Arrow can reach a comparable speed. Nothing changes on the mighty V12. The twelve-cylinder is also good in this variant for 632 hp and 870 Nm.

Unique is of course the decoration of this Wraith. It starts with the color scheme, which is a combination of Celebration Silver and Black Diamond. Under the high-gloss paint there is also a layer of paint with glass, which, according to Rolls-Royce, is reminiscent of the salt desert on which Thunderbolt drove the speed test. The brand says this is the most technically complex livery ever. For example, polishing alone takes 12 hours, and the development of the shade has been tested for 18 months.

Black arrow

But the Wraith Black Badge Black Arrow must of course also have yellow elements: After all, this black arrow from 1938 was painted on a yellow background. We see this tint subtly in the bumper and wheels, but also in the Spirit of Ecstasy. Rolls-Royce doesn’t go so far as to equip these Wraiths with a big black arrow on the flanks.

In the interior, of course, the yellow tinge returns again and again. Unique to this Black Arrow is the V12 dashboard artwork, which hints at the end of this power source in a Rolls-Royce coupe. The black arrow in the clock and the door panels, which are intended to evoke the broken surface of the sandy plain, are also special.

Unique starry sky

But the most unique detail is found in the Rolls-Royce Wraith’s headliner. We know the English stuff them with little LED lights, but the starry sky in this Black Arrow is very unique. The 2117 stars are in the same positions as they were on this particular day in 1938.

So Rolls-Royce only builds twelve examples of this Wraith and they are all already taken. If you still want to order a Rolls-Royce Coupé, you have to go for the fully electric Specter.