Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost vs Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost

Black Badge Ghost Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 441 kW 🔧 900 Nm ⛽ 6.33 km/l
VS
Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended

Phantom Extended Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 900 Nm ⛽ 6.21 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Black Badge Ghost
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Phantom Extended
🔑 Ownership Tie

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Black Badge Ghost Phantom Extended
Maximum Power 441 kW 420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque 900 Nm @ 1700 rpm 900 Nm @ 1700 rpm
Engine Size 6749 cc 6749 cc
Claimed Mileage 6.33 km/l 6.21 km/l
Ground Clearance 118 mm 136 mm
Boot / Load Bay 500 l 530 l
Airbags 8 8
Kerb Weight 2505 kg 2610 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 4 years; regional conditions apply 4 years; regional conditions apply

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Black Badge Ghost and Phantom Extended are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Black Badge Ghost +4 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Phantom Extended +4 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Black Badge Ghost

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Phantom Extended

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Black Badge Ghost

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Phantom Extended

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Black Badge Ghost Phantom Extended
Model Introduced Year 2022 -
Generation Second-generation Black Badge Ghost in Series II form Eighth-generation Phantom Extended in long-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History The current-generation Black Badge Ghost debuted globally in 2021, was introduced in South Africa in 2022 and evolved into Black Badge Ghost Series II in October 2024 The eighth-generation Phantom Extended was presented globally in 2017 and received its light-touch Series II evolution in 2022; its exact South African introduction year remains unverified
Facelift Launched Since 2024 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Four-door performance-luxury saloon Extended-wheelbase four-door luxury saloon
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Full-size performance super-luxury saloon Extended-wheelbase full-size super-luxury saloon
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion passenger car Internal-combustion passenger car
Spec Black Badge Ghost Phantom Extended
Drivetrain Layout All-wheel drive with all-wheel steering Front-engine, rear-wheel drive with all-wheel steering
Transfer Case ATC 13 transfer case Not Applicable
Differential Lock Electronic differential lock (EDS); no mechanically lockable differential No lockable differential
Paddle Shifters No No
Gearbox 8-speed ZF automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Final Drive Ratio 2.81:1 2.81:1
Number of Gears 8 8
Transmission Type 8-speed ZF automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Clutch Type Torque converter Torque converter
Drivetrain All-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Rolls-Royce all-wheel drive Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles No No
Gearbox Type 8-speed ZF automatic 8-speed ZF automatic
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout All-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering Rear-wheel-drive power delivery with active rear-axle steering
Transmission Speeds 8 8
Gear Shift Type Satellite Aided automatic gear selection via column stalk with Low button Satellite Aided automatic gear selection
Front Differential Lock - Not Applicable
Rear Differential Lock - No lockable differential

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Black Badge Ghost leads by 0 points

Both Black Badge Ghost and Phantom Extended are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 71 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 91% confidence
71
#1 Winner

Black Badge Ghost

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 100
Efficiency 29
Safety 99
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Leads by 0 points
71
#2

Phantom Extended

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 96
Efficiency 29
Safety 99
Practicality 67
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Black Badge Ghost +4 Efficiency Level Safety Level Practicality Phantom Extended +4 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Black Badge Ghost

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 44/100

Phantom Extended

Performance 96/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost wins with 71 pts vs 71 pts for Phantom Extended

In structured scoring, Black Badge Ghost emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Phantom Extended may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Black Badge Ghost edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Black Badge Ghost 29 vs Phantom Extended 29. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Black Badge Ghost 99, Phantom Extended 99. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Black Badge Ghost 44, Phantom Extended 44. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Black Badge Ghost 63, Phantom Extended 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Black Badge Ghost 100, Phantom Extended 96. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Black Badge Ghost edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Black Badge Ghost scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Black Badge Ghost and Phantom Extended in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Black Badge Ghost scores 100 vs 96.

Efficiency: Black Badge Ghost scores 29 vs 29.

Safety: Black Badge Ghost scores 99 vs 99.

Practicality: Black Badge Ghost scores 63 vs 67.

Ownership: Black Badge Ghost scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Black Badge Ghost the advantage in this comparison.