A BLACK Badge variant of the Rolls-Royce Ghost has been announced with a re-engineered drivetrain and more power from its 6.75-litre V12 engine.

Priced from £325,000 it sits at the top of the Ghost range and joins other Black Badge variants - the Dawn, Wraith and the Cullinan SUV - in the company's manifest.

With a top speed restricted to 155mph and a 0 to 60 acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, the Ghost Black Badge develops 29ps more than the standard model.

Fuel consumption is rated officially at 17.9mpg with emissions of 359g/km.

Rolls says that the car is available in any of its 44,000 finishes - although black remains the most popular colour.

The company adds that Black Badge variants now make up more than a quarter of its annual sales and each model comes with a Lemniscate graphic fixed to the interior - a device that was applied to Sir Malcolm Campbell's record-breaking Rolls-Royce-powered Blue Bird K3 hydroplane in the 1960s.

A stiffer brake pedal with less travel has been developed for the car as has a new exhaust system to enhance the engine sound.