The Rolls-Royce Spectre has been 120 years in the making. The new battery-electric super luxury coupé takes the legacy of company co-founder Henry Royce and expands it into a modern era, complete with the bespoke level of finery the company's current owners have become accustomed to.
Spectre holds true to Rolls-Royce's key luxury features. Its all-electric powertrain allows the car to take that and amplify it, but in complete silence. That being said, if there's one thing clear about Spectre, it's that it's a Rolls-Royce first and an electric vehicle second.
Rolls-Royce's director of design, Anders Warming, said that the mission to create Spectre was the "most challenging brief" he's ever received, but that it presented "the biggest opportunity" in a presentation to media ahead of the test drive opportunity.
Called the spiritual successor of the Phantom Coupe rather than the recently sunsetted Wraith, Spectre has grand proportions. It comes with the longest one-piece side wing available today, which measures in at 6.5 meters.
Pillar-less coach doors, a long fastback silhouette and extended axle ratio give the car its dramatic style. It wears a set of suitably large 23-inch wheels that deliver a grounded look while a fresh take on the grille appears, uncontroversially and suitably aerodynamic, helping Spectre achieve a drag co-efficient that is only ever so slightly worse than the Tesla Model X and matches that of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.
Taillights seem to be the most controversial design choice for the car, but there is reasoning behind the shape; engineers wanted to slot it in rather than slice up the body design with multi-component, elongated lamp design that is typical in passenger cars.
Interior design brings forward elements that are hallmarks of Rolls-Royce: the waterfall; supple seating upholstery; switches, dials and knobs that harken back to a simpler era. This Roller is no less functional than others, but the approach to some of its infotainment operations that require use of the large dial on the center console is outdated.
Infotainment responsiveness is good. The car benefits from BMW's technology to provide a digital experience that complements the qualities Rolls-Royce customers are looking for, without sacrificing the elements that make the brand unique. In front of the driver there are digital dials that can be customized to match the buyer's interior color preferences.
Here, the look and technology is sophisticated and not intrusive. Nothing in this category is cutting edge, but in fact nothing about Spectre is. That's part of the tried and true method for doing business that Rolls-Royce offers.
The seating position in Spectre is lower than in other models thanks in no small part to its flat floor, which comes courtesy of the lack of transmission tunnel that is standard operation procedure for electric vehicles.
Rolls-Royce's designers have put the car's dashboard as high as possible, which doesn't cut down on visibility, but does allow for optimized legroom for front seat passengers.
All Spectre passengers sit in comfort amongst typical finery. The colors, patterns, textures and styles of the interior are able to be fully customized with bespoke services offered to fit the budgets of multimillion- and billionaires.
Those buyers, who expect the finest luxury appointments, also expect to receive a driving and riding experience that plays on less tangible elements of luxury, like a lack of exterior sounds permeating the cabin, and chassis rigidity and Magic Carpet technology that makes the Spectre capable of providing a smooth ride.
Rolls-Royce's new EV is 30 percent more rigid than Ghost and features sound deadening technology (plus 170 kilograms worth of insulation material) that allows the Spectre to seem like it's slipping through the air nearly undetectable to the world surrounding it.
Behind the wheel though, the Spectre has to adapt to its surroundings, and it does that in typical fashion, with steady speed allocation from the throttle that makes driving in stop-and-go traffic or on rural roads an exercise in smooth sailing.
However, like a boat, the car wallows through the turns. Who can blame it? The thing is a proportional behemoth. But, it's important to point out, that this behavior is the same for Spectre as it is Phantom. Four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and an active air suspension help the cause.
When it comes to Spectre, it's most important to judge it through the rose-colored glasses of the typical buyer. Here, they're not looking for the most engaging drive, nor the most inspired. They're looking to get to- and from, generally short distances, in style, surrounded by the colors, materials and objects that they cherish.
Whether they're new to the Rolls-Royce brand, as 40 percent of Spectre hand raisers are, or legendary collectors, Spectre must fit seamlessly into their lifestyle. In this respect, it does, and it's not only a win, it's a home run.
Pricing for Spectre, which is sold out for years to come, starts at $420,000.
