Silent but deadly, the Spectre is Rolls-Royce’s attempt at creating the ultimate electric luxury car.
Praise the Holy Ghost
Another one has succumbed. Rome has fallen. Or has it? While car enthusiasts might be moping about the loss of yet another non-EV car manufacturer, I’m sure that most in the market for a Rolls-Royce simply don’t care. In fact, Rolls-Royce going silent is probably music to wealthy buyers’ ears, or none at all. Why even have engine noise when you can quite frankly hear nothing.
Silence is true luxury, and just like the monikers of Rolls-Royce past, the Spectre plays the role of the Holy Ghost. While past coupe-like apparitions have gotten a V-12, this one receives an electric motor to the dismay of many gearheads but pairs along well with Rolls-Royce’s pillars.
Holding the Rolls-Royce Lineage True
Charles Rolls, one of the co-founders of Rolls-Royce stated that the electric car was more or less the future of luxury. Now that was over 100 years ago when electricity was probably still hamsters on a wheel powering the grid, but fast forward to 2022 and the prophecy has come true. By going completely silent, Rolls-Royce takes the ideal of luxury to a whole other level. The design is pure Rolls, a curved yet somehow stout shape modernizes the coupe but lets it maintain its distinctive RR look.
The vertical slates on the otherwise chubby grill give the Spectre a massive splash of class in a world that is turning its head to high-class design. The Spectre is brought into the 21st century by its split headlight design, making the coupe look sexy and posh yet modern enough to dazzle quite possibly everyone who ever walks by it.
The Spectre certainly isn’t a clout chaser if that’s what you’re asking. While other EV’s have restarted the automotive version of the Space Race, Rolls-Royce gave a firm, “No thanks” in the most British accent we could imagine while sipping on a cup of tea. The EV version of Rolls-Royce’s coupe has actually lost power from its two-door predecessor. The outgoing Wraith had 624 horses from the aforementioned V12, a muscle car compared to the Spectre’s 577 horses. The Double-R didn’t see a need for the extra horsepower, why would they? The Spectre still can rocket its big body self to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds… all that extra horsepower would only look good on the window sticker. The wealthy businessman wants a luxury cocoon, not a Hellcat.
A Cruise Ship on Wheels
A real cruise ship costs about $550 million. Given that that’s $449,999,999 more than I have in my bank account right now, the Spectre is looking pretty enticing. When we say a cruise ship on wheels, we quite literally mean a cruise ship on wheels. No fatshaming here but this thing weighs in at over 6559 lbs on a 124-inch-long wheelbase. Good luck finding a parking spot, or just have your driver deal with that problem. Dodge Challenger memes move over, we found a new boat.
1543 lbs of that is the batteries… which also serve as serious sound deadening… for a car that makes no noise. And as for the worries that the Spectre might capsize- I mean tip over, Rolls-Royce says that the Spectre is 30% stiffer than any other Rolls, thanks to its unique placement of its (heavy) batteries and frame architecture.
And unlike cruise ships, the Spectre is by far Rolls-Royce’s most aerodynamic vehicle yet with a drag coefficient on .25cd, take that Norwegian. Gratitude goes to the Spectre’s rear design, mimicking a fastback that allows air to slip right by.
The Blood of the Rolls Stays Pure
While electrifying the company by 2030 might be a drastic departure from what RR is now, may one thing be clear: a Rolls-Royce is a Rolls-Royce. The renowned starlight headliner returns along with starlit doors. Rear-hinged suicide doors also make a trademark appearance which can be adorned with whatever materials your heart desires with Rolls-Royce’s bespoke program. Hell, you can even get the doors commissioned with the wood from where Henry Royce spent his winters.
England ‘Aint Going All Electric Yet
Wanna Know, Need to Know
The Spectre has an expected 320-mile range with its speed topping out at a governed 155 mph. Probably for the best as I wouldn’t dare take this whale a shred over 100. Rolls touts the Spectre as a ‘ride on a magic carpet’, well I’m no Aladdin but I’m pretty sure he couldn’t afford bread, much less a Rolls-Royce. It’ll be interesting to see what the uber-wealthy think of the Spectre, but then again, God forbid their water isn’t the right temperature, what will they ever do without sound?
