Rolls-Royce recently revealed its first-ever electric vehicle, the Spectre. Unlike the evil Bond film crime organization, the Rolls-Royce Spectre offers rich people a way to help the environment while enjoying their luxury, rather than hurt it or exploit it. However, despite it being very different from other Rolls models under the skin, it’s actually rather familiar on the outside. In this new video, we talk to Rolls-Royce design director Anders Warming about Spectre’s design and some of its unique engineering.
Warming claims that the Spectre is an all-new design and he’s technically right, as it doesn’t use a single carryover bit from any other Rolls. However, its design is absolutely familiar and in keeping with the rest of the brand’s lineup. And for good reason, as Rolls-Royce has an incredibly loyal clientele base who wouldn’t want something drastically different. Plus, Rolls-Royce makes proper luxury cars and fitting a garish new grille or headlights would be wrong.
Something Warming was specific to point out was that the Spectre is not a Wraith successor, despite looking like one. The Wraith was based off of the old BMW 7 Series and shared more with the entry-level Ghost than with the top-end Phantom. However, the Spectre, according to Warming, is more dimensionally similar to the older Phantom Coupe than the Wraith and sits at near the top of Rolls-Royce’s luxury hierarchy. So the Spectre is a more premium car than the Wraith, which was obviously for the plebs.
The specific Rolls-Royce Spectre was painted in a unique color, one that Rolls hadn’t ever shown before, and it’s called Moganite, named after the natural crystal. That flat terra cotta-looking color works well with the very metallic gunmetal hood. Interestingly, this specific Spectre was the first Roller to be completely two-tone, with the second color running all the way through the pillars and roof.
Under its skin, the Rolls-Royce Spectre is built on the same flexible architecture as the Phantom, Cullinan, and Ghost. Which means its lighter and more structurally rigid than the outgoing Wraith. It also comes with two electric motors, combining to make 577 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque, which should be enough to get it from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. What about range, you might ask? What does it matter, your butler Niles will be recharging it to full at least once a day.
Electrification just makes sense in a Rolls-Royce. The silent, effortless power offered by EVs is staggering and far beyond the ability of internal combustion. They’re smoother than any engine, feature more torque, and obviously have far better efficiency. I can understand not wanting an electric setup in a track car but the Spectre is not a track car and should be treated like the lovely road car it will be to use.
