The $420,000 Rolls-Royce Specter doesn’t live up to traditional electric vehicle standards. Who cares how fast a battery pack charges? That’s a problem for your assistant, or your assistant’s assistant. Need to go beyond the Specter’s 300-mile driving range? Nothing much. Just grab one of your gasoline-powered Rolls-Royces. Or your plane. Surely you have an airplane.
By the way, none of this is exaggeration; Have you ever actually met a Rolls-Royce owner? These folks aren’t going to put themselves in the predicament of having to compromise just so they can park an EV in one of the many garages in their many homes. Because of this, the Specter is Rolls-Royce’s first and second electric car – and all the better for it.
(Full disclosure: Rolls-Royce took me to Napa Valley and took me to the Four Seasons so I could drive the new Specter. Oddly enough, I only have two glasses of champagne.)
Electric power is perfectly suited to a Rolls-Royce. Remember, this is a company that builds a twin-turbo V12 but then does everything humanly possible to mute the engine from the experience of driving – or being driven. Quiet, effortless power is what Rolls-Royce is all about.
Poll future Specter owners and they probably won’t know that their car is powered by a 102 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. They probably won’t realize that a pair of electric motors power the huge coupe all-wheel drive, nor will they be able to come up with headline specs: 577 hp, 664 lb-ft of torque. -ft, 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
Instead, they will just tell you this car Go, and it’s like their other Rolls-Royces – a completely purposeful trait. Instead of delivering torque that instantly stuns you on takeoff, Rolls-Royce has created a lag, mimicking the turbocharger lag of a V12 petrol engine. Even at high speeds, the accelerator does not experience sudden acceleration; Specter would rather make his own peak.
That musical pun reminds me: Rolls-Royce designed a symphony of futuristic electric noises to accompany the powertrain’s acceleration, but they ended up creating a sensation. feeling lost. With a car that focuses on quiet, keeping the world and isolation from the poor above all else, why add some spaceship sounds? Even Rolls-Royce executives frankly admit that they prefer to drive the Specter with the buzzing muted. Because they have class.
Electronic anti-roll technology is a godsend for keeping this 6,372-pound piggy in place when cornering, never letting any bumps in the road surface or gross steering movements distract you. hinder the Specter’s gentle ride, even on large 23-inch wheels. However, the steering is actually surprisingly responsive at times, feeling a bit overkill for what you’d expect. At least the Specter has a slightly different steering wheel than other Rolls-Royces, with thicker rims for a more satisfying grip.
Planning to be chauffeured in your Specter? Then skip to that last paragraph. Instead, you’ll be happy to know that Rolls-Royce has decided not to use any electronic brake regeneratives in the coupe’s standard driving mode so that the Specter can still deliver smooth stopping characteristics. It’s soft and stable so you don’t spill your champagne. (In fact, Rolls-Royce actually calls this a “champagne stop” and teaches it to drivers.) You’ll also love the 375-pounder sonic mass that Rolls-Royce puts in the Specter, as well. such as drag coefficient 0.26, making wind noise almost non-existent.
However, Specter is not completely regen-free. Use pretty columns-the gear selector is mounted – plastic for some silly reason – and you can set the Specter to “B” mode, which brings it close to one-pedal steering like Rolls-Royce for permission. Lifting the throttle won’t cause the coupe’s nose to droop like in many electric cars with powerful recuperation – remember to stop drinking champagne – and you won’t be able to recover your way to a full stop. . But this also means that the transition between electronic and mechanical brakes is smooth.
I can’t really complain about the way the Specter drives. Is it interesting? Not even a little bit. But is it like a true Rolls-Royce? Heaven, yes. That is happiness. Really.
My real insights into the Specter are pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things. However, I hate the fact that the ring road is too high because it makes it difficult for short people like me to see the road ahead. The massage chair is also a bit slow and weak, which I don’t usually do, but come on, this is a Rolls-Royce. Also, the entire center console and center console design are taken from the company’s existing cars, and while everything is great, I’m really hoping for something new. cooler. Still, love those heavy metal vented pistons.
Let me be clear: Overall, the Specter’s interior is fantastic. You won’t find this level of consistent quality and finish in any other vehicle on sale today, and I love the endlessly customizable color and trim options. Rolls’ star-illuminated headlights are here, as they should be, and this luxury lighting technology is available on the Specter’s large rear hinged passenger door.
Cabin tech is much better now, too, with a fully digital dashboard and an updated infotainment system based on BMW’s iDrive software. The navigation system has an augmented reality overlay, which is useful for finding the next stop on your Napa wine tour, and you can sync everything about your Specter with the owner’s app. Rolls-Royce, Whispers, coincidentally, is also the name of a hotel and bar I frequent in San Francisco. Maybe not the same group of customers, but who knows.
All told, Rolls-Royce’s first electric car is a powerful car and also an overall look. (Get it in pink!) For the majority of customers, who already own one or more Rolls-Royces, Specter will feel right at home. Luxurious, quiet, spacious and confident, the Specter is exactly what you’d expect in a Rolls-Royce, electric or otherwise.
