2023 Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow

Black Arrow closed the Wraith’s V12 coupe chapter with twelve cars inspired by George Eyston’s Thunderbolt and the Bonneville Salt Flats. The 2023 factory announcement describes a final collection with its own materials and visual language, distinct from the earlier Landspeed programme.

The final Wraith collection has a 2023 date

The workbook places Black Arrow in 2022, but the manufacturer announced the twelve-car collection in March 2023. That public reference is used here without claiming that design or production work began on the announcement date. The factory describes the cars as the last V12 coupes it would make. This is a statement about that body and powertrain chapter, not the end of all V12 Rolls-Royce models or every combustion-engined commission.

Rolls-Royce: Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow factory announcement

Thunderbolt supplied the historical connection

The name recalls the black arrow applied to Eyston’s record car to help timing equipment distinguish its polished aluminium body against the salt landscape. Rolls-Royce translates that practical historical detail into a modern aesthetic narrative. The road coupe does not inherit Thunderbolt’s engineering, speed record or aero engines. Keeping those boundaries clear makes the tribute more interesting: its historical subject explains the materials and colours rather than serving as an unsupported performance comparison.

A graduated exterior rather than a simple two-tone split

The factory describes a carefully developed graduated paint finish, moving between light and dark, with yellow accents that recall the record-breaking car. Unlike a conventional two-tone division, the transition itself is part of the specification. Photographs should record the complete side as well as close details. A repaint can reproduce an impression while changing the transition, surface or original material; restoration records therefore matter alongside the factory commission paperwork.

Rolls-Royce: Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow factory announcement

The cabin interprets a landscape and a machine

Black Arrow combines Club Leather with extensive wood detailing, including 320 marquetry pieces on each door, according to the announcement. Its starry roof references the Bonneville sky on the historical record date. These are specific commissioned treatments rather than reasons to assign a new mechanical specification to every example. The number of veneer components or lights describes craftsmanship; neither number is a count of cars or a separate edition allocation.

Rolls-Royce: Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow factory announcement

Distinguish Black Arrow from Landspeed

Both projects draw on Eyston, but they are different named collections with different limits and launch dates. A registry should use the original commission designation, chassis identity and trim records to keep them separate. Clear photographs of the graduated body, special cabin surfaces and collection details support that record. A yellow accent or salt-flat photograph alone cannot establish which collection a Wraith belongs to, especially after repairs, wrapping or aftermarket personalisation.

Specifications and identity reference

Rarity and production scope

Twelve is the factory’s Black Arrow collection size. It is not the total production of Wraith, Black Badge Wraith or all Rolls-Royce V12 cars, and is not combined with the 35-car Wraith Landspeed collection. The manufacturer’s final-V12-coupe description is attributed to its 2023 announcement. This profile verifies the named identity and its stated scope without providing an independent completed-chassis or current-survivor census.

What the photograph represents

Factory presentation of Wraith Black Arrow in its salt-flat-inspired setting. The gradient body and yellow accents belong to this named final collection, separate from Landspeed.

Related Rolls-Royce heritage profiles

• 2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection
• 2021 Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge Landspeed Collection
• 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Silver Bullet Collection

Frequently asked questions

Is Black Arrow part of the Landspeed allocation?

No. It is a separately announced twelve-car final collection from 2023.

Why is the reference year different from the inventory?

The contemporary factory announcement is from 2023; the original 2022 inventory date remains in the audit.

What is the production-count boundary for this profile?

Twelve is the factory’s Black Arrow collection size. It is not the total production of Wraith, Black Badge Wraith or all Rolls-Royce V12 cars, and is not combined with the 35-car Wraith Landspeed collection. The manufacturer’s final-V12-coupe description is attributed to its 2023 announcement. This profile verifies the named identity and its stated scope without providing an independent completed-chassis or current-survivor census.

Sources and further reading

1. Rolls-Royce: Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow factory announcement

Research checked 18 October 2026. Linked factory announcements and attributed design documentation support the specifically identified claims. Photographic descriptions identify the illustrated subject. Design analysis and suggested authentication steps are editorial interpretation.