Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge Looks for Street Cred With LA’s Low Riders
They may not often share the same driveways, but they aren’t as different as you think.
I would've never thought to find similarities between rollers and low riders, but I have to hand it to Rolls-Royce for this one. Sitting on opposite ends of the spectrum, sort of like Dickies and Dior, the British automaker isn't exactly known for catering to the "down to earth." This recent video, however, showcases the similarities between the latest Cullinan Black Badge SUV and some professionally built hot rods and low riders—and it's actually quite refreshing.
When you compare a Rolls-Royce to a steel-bodied classic you begin to notice the obvious. For starters: both vehicles are hand-built by people with obsessive attention to detail, but most importantly they represent someone's artistic sense at work and are often cars people dream of owning someday.
A five-figure paint job by Rolls-Royce can look rather basic compared to a hand-painted design found on some of Southern California’s best low riders. Setting aside the social classes behind the two types of vehicles leaves you with a group of people brought together by the phrase: “Hey, nice car.”
The King of the Night project took place in February of this year, before the COVID-19 pandemic, but was just shared on YouTube earlier this week. It started when Rolls-Royce asked photographer Mark Riccioni to take a new Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge out and create a pictorial series meeting with various automotive subcultures of Los Angles.
While most Rolls-Royce owners may not exactly realize this, these small details are the best things about the automotive community and cars in general.
The Cullinan shown here was equipped with a bespoke Urban Photography Recreation Module package for Riccioni to use during this project, which included a DJI Mavic Mini drone, 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro, and 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro.
According to Rolls-Royce, the Black Badge is "for those who reject conformity and live on their own terms. It’s for the innovators, trailblazers, rule-breakers—and above all—those who dare.” The Black Badge trim option is available on the Rolls-Royce Dawn, Ghost, and Wraith, with the Cullinan being the newest member to join the club as of 2019.
The Cullinan Black Badge sports a black chrome grille, red brake calipers tucked behind a set of 22-inch two-tone silver and black wheels, and more importantly, a 600-horsepower 6.75-liter V12. Unlike the V8s found in hot rods and low riders, it's extremely serene and relaxed while cruising down the road.
Old low riders and new Rolls-Royces may often live in different driveways, drive to different parties, and hang out at separate car shows, but they both drive on the same avenue of desirability.
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