You've never seen an EV quite like the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. While it might look like a Rolls-Royce from every angle, it's what's underneath that really changes things. It's the first EV from the ultra-luxury brand, but there's so much more to it than electric propulsion. Its V12 engines are being phased out for electricity, but customers still want smooth and authoritative power delivery, which is exactly what the brand was aiming for.
Rather than neck-snapping EV power delivery like a Tesla Model S Plaid, the new Rolls-Royce Spectre has been specifically tuned for smooth and authoritative power delivery just like the V12 engines it has become famous for. Power is executed like a jet at takeoff rather than a dragster at full launch. It's the rightful successor to the V12 in that it feels like one without the mad fuel consumption.
The Spectre has two electric motors, front and rear, with four driven wheels. Combined, the motors produce a whopping 584 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, The 0-60 sprint is a quick 4.4 seconds. While it won't go toe-to-toe with some of the EV rocket sleds like the Tesla Model S Plaid or the insane Rimac Nevera, that's not what the brand is going after. Range from the 102-kilowatt-hour battery is more than respectable at 260 miles. Consider the fact that the Spectre weighs an astoundingly heavy 6,559 pounds, which makes the acceleration and range even more impressive.
The Spectre also reeks of the brand's distinctive styling. We're glad to see that the ushering in of an electric era for the brand has not resulted in style weirdness. It's certainly more aerodynamic than its gas-powered stablemates (i.e., Wraith), but it still bears the steeply sloping greenhouse and the dramatic quarter panels and fenders. The wheels are definitely wind-cheaters without looking goofy, and the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament has been made more slippery with some trimming, but it's no less elegant. The Spectre's drag coefficient of 0.25 is impressive given its big “Pantheon” grille, but the front end certainly has been made more slender. The grille also gets a fusillade of lighting elements to the tune of 22 LEDs for dramatic effect. Why does the Spectre even need a grille? Well, Rolls says it's for aerodynamic purposes rather than superfluous cooling needs.
The interior is, of course, seriously opulent, and it gets the classic Rolls-Royce Starliner headliner with fiber optic points of light peeking through the leather layer. The brand has even expanded that same lighting feature to the doors and rear cabin area. The sheer array of colors in the customizable cabin ranges from conservative to ostentatious, providing satisfaction to just about everyone. Buyers can further customize the exterior color combinations to match their desires.
In terms of tech and interior controls, it's kind of surprising for an EV. There are no selectable driving modes, and there are still physical controls and buttons, all done up the refined Rolls-Royce way. Yes, there is regen braking that's controlled by a button, and you can one-pedal drive, so there's that tech present. You also don't need to physically open any doors because there are buttons to do that for you. The Spectre also receives its very own proprietary audio system, and it's supposed to be everything you could imagine. It's been customized at every level to make the listening experience sublime.
For the very first time in a Rolls, there's a digital instrument display. It might not seem like a big deal, though, because they look quite analog, and that seems to have been the goal. It doesn't detract from the classic ethos of the interior, and it throws up three circular gauges with all of the relevant data. We dare to say it's quite elegant while looking nicely modern, at the same time.
The price of the new Spectre starts at $420,000, but that can easily climb into the stratosphere with customization choices. That base price is quite a bit more than the $343,000 of the two-door Wraith, but the level of technology accounts for much of that. Look for this next-level Rolls-Royce to be delivered to deep-pocketed customers in the 4th quarter of 2023 as a 2024 model.
