2023 Rolls-Royce Spectre Coupe Review
The first-ever electric Rolls-Royce is the rather special Spectre.
The first-ever electric Rolls-Royce is the rather special Spectre.
Review
Pros: craftsmanship, refinement, performance, sense of occasion
Cons: makes other Rolls-Royce models look dated
Rolls-Royce Spectre Design
While the Spectre is immediately identifiable as a Rolls-Royce, its detailing is unique and more focused on reducing aerodynamic drag (and hence wind noise) than in any Rolls-Royce gone before. Even the iconic ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ figurine on the curved bonnet has been reprofiled. Below that is the widest ‘grille’ ever fitted to a Rolls, though here it features flush-fitting stainless-steel vanes as there is no engine behind to cool. It’s illuminated, though, and for a fee you can have the Spirit of Ecstasy made of frosted glass and illuminated, too.
Though the Spectre is a two-door coupe, it is a huge car, measuring in at nearly 5.5 metres long (that’s half a metre longer than a BMW X5 SUV, for reference). It’s dramatic looking from all angles, though the 23-inch alloy wheels help keep it in proportion.
The rear lights are highly distinctive protruding from the bodywork and Rolls-Royce refers to them as “colourless” to allow them complement whatever paint scheme the owner goes for. Two-tone finishes are available, and the buyer can effectively specify any colour they wish.
Rolls-Royce Spectre Interior
Accessing the interior is an occasion in itself, as the doors – the longest ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce - are hinged at the back and they are powered for opening and closing. Rolls calls them Effortless Doors and we couldn’t sum it up better ourselves. When the driver eases into the supple leather of the incredibly comfortable front seat and presses the brake pedal, the door silently closes behind them.
The interior of each door is special, too, featuring 4,796 illuminated ‘stars’. This design flourish is complemented by another 5,500 stars on the dashboard surrounding the model name.
No two Spectres are likely to be the same inside given the level of personalisation available to buyers but rest assured that it all feels unique and of exceptional quality. The attention to detail is fascinating, while the mix of materials adds to the tactile nature of the cabin.
In practical terms, there’s ample room in the rear of the Spectre for large adults to get comfortable and a 380-litre boot behind.
Rolls-Royce Spectre Performance & Drive
Ensuring that it doesn’t alienate existing owners, Rolls-Royce cleverly made the Spectre little different to its other models in terms of getting in and setting off. A spindly, but solidly-mounted drive selector on the steering column is pulled into D for drive and off you go. Even more silently than usual in a car from Rolls-Royce.
The lack of any gears and the smoothness this endows the car with marks the Spectre out immediately, while a strong focus on sound-deadening including double-glazed glass gives the coupe the same cocooned-from-the-outside-world feel that all Rolls-Royces have.
Big petrol engines have been responsible for the effortless performance of past models from the company of course, but that’s even easier to achieve with electric power. The Spectre features motors front and rear for all-wheel drive and peaks of 584hp and 900Nm of torque. Though it’s a heavy car, the motors respond instantly and quickly propel it forward when required.
The 4.5-second 0-100km/h time confirms that, though Rolls-Royce’s engineers have developed the system to accelerate in a smooth, palatable and usable manner. It wouldn’t be very becoming for such a car to challenge its occupants’ neck muscles after all.
And while the Spectre isn’t referred to as ‘sporty’ as such, it manages to mix exceptional comfort with real ability in the corners when the mood takes you. That’s thanks to a new high-speed processing system that oversees the myriad chassis functions. It even has four-wheel steering that helps the Spectre feel both agile at low speeds and more stable at high speeds, while making parking and manoeuvring easier than it should be in such a huge car.
When reviewing an EV, we’d usually spend a little time talking about its range and though we don’t expect to see many Spectres queuing up at the local ESB rapid charger, it needs to have sufficient range for its owner’s needs. To that end, Rolls-Royce fitted a large battery pack – 102kWh energy capacity – to enable a range of 530km.
Rolls-Royce Spectre Pricing
There is no official sales outlet for Rolls-Royce on the island of Ireland, but even if there were, it wouldn’t be easy to tie down a price for the Spectre. Every buyer customises their car to their liking and most don’t worry about how much extra that might cost. If your numbers do come up in the lottery this weekend, I’d suggest putting aside at least €600,000 of it if you fancy bringing a Spectre in.
Carzone Verdict
The Spectre is an astounding creation, a truly special car inside and out, and that specialness extends to the years of detailed engineering that has gone into its introduction. It feels like it’s a full generation ahead of anything else the company makes and in producing the Spectre, Rolls-Royce has immediately dated all of its other models. Just as well it’ll only produce electric cars from 2030 on.