Rolls-Royce Spectre review: the ultimate electric experience

My favourite characteristic of the brand new $420,000, all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre isn’t the cosseting experience high quality or the illuminated stars embedded within the headliner of the insanely ornate inside. It isn’t the 577 horsepower or the 266 miles of vary. It’s neither the “sure, that’s the spot” massaging seats nor the curbside presence of that upright, chromed entrance grille. It isn’t even the aerodynamically refined but classically styled Spirit of Ecstasy statuette perched atop.

My favourite characteristic of the Spectre is the sound it makes. As an EV, it doesn’t actually make any engine sound by itself. It’s a rolling cocoon made inherently anti-acoustic because of the tireless work of some absolutely big-eared scientists. So, to inject a little bit extra life into the driving expertise, the Spectre performs a little bit digital tone once you speed up.

Sure, practically each trendy EV emits some form of artificial whir or trill once you get on the accelerator — however nothing just like the Spectre. This automobile makes the form of sound that you’d anticipate to listen to when an omniscient, omnipotent alien drive swoops via the clouds in a sci-fi film, the gut-shaking tone backing the second when everybody realizes that humanity is about to get served. 

This heavenly refrain is so refined, you nearly can’t hear it, however with this Curler being as quiet as a tomb, the result’s genuinely chic. And that’s only one side of a very refined expertise that’s on a degree above every other EV on the street. 

The Rolls-Royce model has been utilized to top-tier machines since 1904, and it feels just like the earlier 120 years have been main as much as this second. 

In case you’re fortunate sufficient to see an early Rolls-Royce waft by, like a Silver Ghost or a Phantom, you received’t hear a lot. Regardless of huge engines in extra of seven liters (50 p.c greater than that of a present Ford Mustang GT), these early ultra-luxury automobiles featured exhausts designed to reduce drivetrain noise.

With the Spectre, Rolls-Royce’s first battery-electric EV, the corporate’s engineers can lastly cease overengineering ye olde inside combustion to make it easy and silent. The Spectre depends on two electrical motors that make the mixed 577 horsepower talked about above and 664 pound-feet of torque. This factor weighs a large 6,371 kilos, greater than a Cadillac Escalade, but it could actually speed up to 60mph in simply 4.4 seconds.

Sure, it’s quick when it must be, however you’ll see higher vary when pushed calmly, as much as 266 miles on a cost from its 102kWh battery pack. 

Not solely is relaxed driving extra environment friendly but it surely’s additionally far more rewarding. The Spectre has a typically calm demeanor, like a throttle pedal that requires a deep software to unleash all that energy. The brake pedal is equally laid again, as is the sluggish steering, with simply sufficient suggestions to let you recognize you might be turning the wheels and tires.

All 4 of them, in truth. Rear-wheel steering makes this practically 18-foot-long ultra-coupe a cinch to navigate via tight parking tons. The 360-degree digital camera and normal automated parking additionally assist to make sure that you don’t curb a type of 23-inch wheels, one thing I appreciated throughout my mortgage, as changing any of them would absolutely have bankrupted me.

That 360-degree digital camera is simply a number of the tech that Rolls-Royce engineers borrowed from mum or dad firm BMW, however I want they’d stolen a bit extra, like BMW’s hands-off driver assist system. 

The touchscreen infotainment can be fairly trendy, providing built-in navigation and trying to find charging stations. It’ll even do each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although, curiously, I couldn’t get the latter to work. Maybe the automobile thought-about my last-season Samsung Galaxy S23 too passé? And although the media is performed via a 16-speaker bespoke audio system that’s {powerful} but fantastically refined, it sadly lacks Dolby Atmos help. 

So this highest of high-tech Rolls-Royces doesn’t fairly supply all of the world’s options, however what you get as a substitute is an astronomically detailed inside, ground mats of the softest lambswool, and a complete set of polished metallic controls, all designed with the proper weight and really feel.

Whereas you may get right into a Spectre for $420,000, you’ll by no means get via the shopping for course of with out ticking a number of bins. Given choices just like the chartreuse paint you see right here prices $13,100 by itself, anticipate to spend so much extra. This automobile stickered at $560,100 after a $2,750 vacation spot cost. 

A worthwhile expenditure? That’s a troublesome factor for somebody with the price range of a mere mortal to say. The Spectre is hardly worth, however it’s distinctive, made all of the extra spectacular contemplating it’s Rolls-Royce’s. However the presence of That Sound does make all of it appear worthwhile.

There are extra EVs to return, however we’ll must be affected person; an SUV has been promised for 2027, forward of the model turning into all-electric in 2030. How nicely these future EVs look and drive is anybody’s guess at this level, but when all of them sound this good, they’ll be off to an excellent begin.