Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo – A Rolls-Royce Fueled by the Energy of Contemporary Art
May 15, 2026
"Creativity and imagination are the defining forces of Rolls-Royce, shaping cars as individual as their owners. Our clients co-create the most complex commissions, directly reflecting this belief. It was conversations with a particularly adventurous group of collectors in our Private Offices that revealed the desire for Rolls-Royce to embrace bold trends in contemporary art. To bring this vision to life, we partnered with Cyril Kongo, whose expressive, uncompromising style resonated perfectly with the spirit of Black Badge. This led to an unprecedented collaboration, in which Kongo collaborated with our collective of designers, craftsmen, and engineers to bring these extraordinary cars to life. The result is five exceptional Black Badge Cullinan commissions, each a unique work of art, representing a comprehensive fusion of two exceptional worlds." - Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
"When I first saw the Black Badge Cullinan, I felt the need to create my own interpretation of the universe it belonged to – what I call the 'Kongoverse.' It's a place full of fantasy, mathematical formulas, symbols, pyramids, atoms, and imaginary planets. Rolls-Royce welcomed these ideas and gave them form. It was a unique conversation, drawing on my visual language and the Rolls-Royce style of creation, where the car becomes a canvas. Bringing this intention to life in collaboration with the brand's artisans was an extraordinary experience." - Cyril Kongo, Artist
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo: five lavish, private commissions with veneer and leather finishes, hand-painted by world-renowned, multifaceted artist Cyril Kongo. All five cars share a common artistic theme, yet each represents a unique expression of Kongo's creativity. The project was completed in the brand's private offices in New York and Seoul, as well as in a private office at Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood.
The Black Badge Cullinan became a canvas for Kongo's expressive creativity. As a darker, more subversive alter ego of Rolls-Royce, Black Badge represents the brand's boldest expression. This reflects the intensity of Kongo's art, which appears on the Starlight Headliner, picnic tables, dashboard, and Waterfall between the rear seats.
Using interior trim elements from the Black Badge Cullinan, Kongo brought to life the "Kongoverse," an artist's aesthetic universe created for his collaboration with Rolls-Royce. This unique expression is shaped by destiny, imagination, and the power of individuality—themes that guided Kongo's energy throughout this groundbreaking project.
Unprecedented collaboration
"This collaboration was so special because of the constant conversation between my universe and Rolls-Royce. Every idea was treated with care and curiosity. I was completely immersed in the brand's creative studio." - Cyril Kongo, Artist
To bring his vision to life, Rolls-Royce invited Kongo to join its Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers, and craftsmen. While the brand has a rich tradition of working with leading creatives, this project represents an unprecedented level of collaboration. From the outset, Kongo was part of the Bespoke Collective, collaborating with Rolls-Royce teams at the brand's headquarters. He was involved in every stage of the project's conception, design, and execution, with a dedicated space created for him where Kongo hand-painted each element.
"We collaborated with Cyril in an unprecedented way. Six months before production began, we took him to Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood and opened up our world for him to meet our specialists and craftsmen, sharing our tools and techniques and providing him with a full range of paints. When we began creating cars together, we created dedicated workshops in our Bespoke facilities, where Cyril and our specialists worked hand-in-hand, integrating his artistic language into each element. The collaboration fostered a constant exchange of ideas, filled with a spirit of curiosity and creative confidence. Fully immersed in our world, Cyril had the freedom to explore his vision at any time, in keeping with the spontaneous nature of his art." - Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Vivid Worlds: Adventures in the Kongoverse
"My art reflects the infinite power of imagination—I imagine worlds that don't exist, but could exist. Bringing this vision to life with a Rolls-Royce was an unforgettable experience."—Cyril Kongo, artist
Each car features the same interior color scheme: a black base with striking color accents. For the first time, the interior is divided into four distinct zones defined by contrasting colors: Phoenix Red for the driver's seat, Turchese for the front passenger seat, and Forge Yellow and Mandarin for the rear. These colors are evident in the stitching, piping, seat inserts, and "RR" monograms on the headrests, as well as the lambswool floor mats. From this shared palette, Kongo hand-painted five individual interior works of art, transforming each car into a truly unique collector's item.
Starlight Headliner: A Star-Spangled Tale of the Kongoverse
"When I first saw the Starlight Headliner, I was immediately inspired: it's a truly immersive universe in motion. I knew this would be the centerpiece of my project." - Cyril Kongo, Artist
Creating the illusion of a tranquil night sky, the hand-painted Starlight Headliner, composed of 1,344 fiber-optic "stars," is the focal point of every Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo. In each, Kongo depicts imagined planets and constellations, as well as references to quantum physics—a subject that has fascinated him since sharing a studio with his brother, a physicist. Equations and formulas symbolizing the infinite potential of the imagination are embedded in his compositions: a motif echoed in the infinity symbol that codifies all Rolls-Royce Black Badge cars.
To realize his vision, the artisans at Interior Surface Centre prepared over 70 paint colors, giving Kongo complete creative freedom to bring his work to life. Each composition was applied using a combination of sponges, airbrushes, and brushes.
After painting the headliner, Kongo, in collaboration with Bespoke engineers, precisely determined the placement and color of all the "stars." Each one was counted and individually marked by an artist, then carefully hand-cut and placed by the brand's craftsmen. Each Starlight Headliner offers various combinations of illumination in Blue, Phoenix Red, Forge Yellow, Cobalto Blue, Twickenham Green, or Lime Green, as well as eight Shooting Stars, including a final "star" spanning the entire length of the ceiling—a first for Rolls-Royce.
The final, hidden detail is the distinctive Kongo tag painted on the leather lining of the sun visor and the inside of the trunk lid. This distinctive design is also meticulously embroidered on the leather door trim.
Hand-painted interior elements: continuous composition
"We talked about how to keep the rhythm in the car. For me, painting is like jazz. You move, but everything remains connected by the rhythm." - Cyril Kongo, artist
Each Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo model features unique wood components hand-painted by the artist. These include the dashboard, center console, rear console, picnic tables, and the waterfall between the rear seats. Together, these elements create a seamless design throughout the car.
Before Kongo's arrival, the Interior Finishing Center prepared each of the 19 veneered elements by painting them black and mounting them in the brand's paint lab on specially designed frames. Working directly onto the veneered surfaces, Kongo applied the signature Kongoverse patterns. To achieve varying levels of detail, the artist used airbrushes of varying sizes.
To showcase and protect these works of art, Rolls-Royce craftsmen applied ten coats of paint to each surface. Each element was then sanded and polished, achieving the depth and durability expected in a Rolls-Royce interior.
Custom-made interiors: a true artist's canvas
"I want people to discover this work of art step by step. The more you discover, the more you see. What you see on the outside should only suggest the universe within." - Cyril Kongo, artist
Each Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo is presented in a rich Blue Crystal Over Black finish: the deep black paint is further enhanced by blue flecks that shimmer in the sun, giving the surface an almost blue appearance from certain angles. For the first time in Rolls-Royce history, a Gradient Coachline is used: Phoenix Red fades into Forge Yellow on the left, Mandarin fades into Turchese on the right, both incorporating the distinctive Kongo badge. Another new feature is the brake calipers visible behind each 23-inch Part Polished Black Badge aluminum wheel, each in a different color: Phoenix Red, Turchese, Forge Yellow, and Mandarin, chosen to complement the Coachline and the vibrant color accents throughout the interior.
The Phoenix Red tag, used on the exterior Coachline, also features on the illuminated Bespoke Treadplates and the black Bespoke umbrellas hidden in the doors, where it appears as a subtle motif on the fabric.
Private Office Curators: The Power of Connection
The Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo project was curated by Rolls-Royce Private Offices in Seoul, New York, and the company's headquarters in Goodwood. The Rolls-Royce Private Offices are by invitation only. They extend the Home of Rolls-Royce experience by providing creative workspaces for the creation of a personalized Rolls-Royce.
Each Rolls-Royce Private Office is staffed by a dedicated team permanently operating in a specific region. By developing deeply personal relationships with clients, these members gain unique insights into the cultural inspirations, passions, and interests of local collectors. It was from this perspective that the collaboration with Cyril Kongo took shape, serving as both an artistic expression and a reflection of contemporary collecting culture.
All five Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo cars have been sold to collectors around the world.
Origins and inspiration: Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo
Born in Toulouse in 1969, Kongo began his career as a graffiti artist in Paris. Today, working in a variety of media, he is internationally known for his dramatic compositions and expressive use of color, which capture the raw energy of street art.
Kongo's work resonates with a new generation of influential collectors, and his unique style now graces some of the world's rarest and most coveted objects—from haute horlogerie to cutting-edge audio systems and even airplanes. His collaborations and clientele reflect a growing appreciation for contemporary street art and the way it permeates the worlds of art and investment.
Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo fits into this broader trend. Street art and related memorabilia are now appearing in major auction houses, and their prices are comparable to those of high-end works. Both aesthetically and spiritually, this collaboration sits at the intersection of contemporary culture, new investment categories, and creative exchange between the most interesting artists and the world's largest auction houses.
10th Anniversary of the Premiere of Black Badge
The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo is one of several designs unveiled in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Black Badge family. First unveiled in 2016 with the Black Badge Ghost, this subversive alter ego was created for customers seeking a Rolls-Royce that reflected their bold, uncompromising spirit.
Currently, the Ghost, Cullinan and Spectre are offered in Black Badge trim, featuring powerful powertrains, enhanced driving dynamics and distinctive Bespoke features.
