Features
The Black Badge’s exterior is incredible, with what Rolls Royce describes as “the most exhaustive painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour”.
The interior is similarly impressive. There’s dark panelling, dark leather, contrasting piping and embossing on the seats, and bright stitching on the steering wheel and door pockets.
As the brand’s parent owner, BMW Group supplies the satnav and infotainment screen and graphics, which is a good thing because they are some of the clearest in the business, and the iDrive rotary controller is simple to use when you’re driving. You do get a bespoke, in-house audio system however, which is sublime.
Despite being the baby of the range, there is acres of space front and rear: my two children were difficult to reach on their booster seats as they sat so far back and gently reclined, with a large centre console between them. A warning: never alert a child to the fact that they can close the suicide doors by pressing the “Door” button once inside, or you'll never hear the end of arguing over whose turn it is to do it.
Wonderful touches include the umbrellas mounted below the A-pillars in the bodywork: ours were colour matched, with contrasting back and red stripes. Of course.