Spectre is the first all-electric Rolls-Royce and Drew Stearne got to have a first look at it in person. Get his first impressions on what might be the most important Rolls-Royce Ever.
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00:00 Intro
00:40 Range
01:10 The Platform
01:20 The Grille
02:33 The Front Design
03:22 Profile Design
04:33 Rear Design
05:50 Interior


Despite an overall shape and profile akin to the now-dead Wraith, Rolls-Royce describes the Spectre as the spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupe of the 2000s in terms of market positioning, and it's certainly imposing in size. Its 214.6-inch overall length and 126.3-inch wheelbase are 7.2 and 3.8 inches longer than a Wraith, respectively, while the Phantom Drophead measures 6.2 and 4.4 inches longer in each respect than the Spectre. The Spectre's fastback roofline is similar to the Wraith's, but the EV has much more dramatic proportions with a longer hood and rear overhang, with the rear trunklid coming to a sharper point. The Spectre also features the crispest lines and surfacing of any Rolls, with fender lines coming to sharply lit peaks and more drastic shadows falling on the bodywork.

The Spectre has the sleekest interpretation of Rolls-Royce's Pantheon grille yet, made from a single piece of aluminum and fit nearly flush into the front end. It's also the widest grille ever on a Rolls, and the inner vanes have a flusher fit that aids with airflow. The hood is topped by a redesigned Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament that helps make the Spectre the most aerodynamic Rolls ever made, with a drag coefficent of 0.26 equalling the radical BMW i8. Rolls-Royce is the latest automaker to go with a split headlight design, but I think it's extremely effective on the Spectre. A super-thin LED running light is aligned with the top of the grille and fender cutlines, while the main beams are inset below in a sculpted panel. And remember, the 2003 Phantom and its spin-offs had double headlight arrays you thought were weird at first, too. Best of all, the sandblasted vanes of the grille are backlit by 22 LEDs.

Blocky lower air intakes in the front bumper, a streamlined rear diffuser and gloss black lower cladding aid the Spectre's futuristic look. The taillights are relatively tiny rectangular pods with dual vertical LED stripes that protrude from the bodywork like vintage tail fins -- I love basically any car with tail fins -- and the Spectre even has a bit of a Bangle butt in the way the trunk is more upright than the fenders that house the taillights. Rolls-Royce also picked a pretty wild spec in which to launch the Spectre, with sparkling mustard yellow bodywork paired with a metallic black finish on the hood, roof and upper trunk. The two-tone look really aids the Spectre's in looking sleeker and, dare I say, more sci-fi.

The Spectre is built on the same modular Architecture of Luxury platform that has underpinned everything since 2017 from the Cullinan and Ghost to the Phantom and the insane coachbuilt Boat Tail. Rolls-Royce designed the all-aluminum Architecture of Luxury to be ready for fully electric powertrains from the start. The battery is integrated into the structure itself, which makes the Spectre 30% stiffer than any Rolls before it, and the car's floor is between the sills instead of below or on top. There's a channel between the battery and floor for wiring and climate control piping, allowing for a lower seating position and a smooth underfloor. The battery also conveniently acts as 1,543 pounds of sound deadening.

Where other marques are locked into a battle of who can achieve the lowest 0-to-60 time or the highest EPA range figure, the Spectre is harking back to the days when Rolls-Royce would simply describe its cars' power figures as "adequate." While the brand isn't saying yet, the Spectre likely uses a pair of electric motors, with one at each axle for all-wheel drive. According to Rolls' current testing, the unknown electric motors provide a total of 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque -- conveniently the same torque output as the twin-turbo V12 used in the Ghost Black Badge, with only 14 fewer hp. The Spectre has an anticipated 0-to-60-mph time of 4.4 seconds, which is a tenth quicker than the Ghost, and it will reach a limited top speed of 155 mph. (A more powerful Black Badge model will come later.) We don't know the exact battery size yet, but Rolls-Royce says the Spectre is aiming for an EPA-estimated range of up to 260 miles, 14 miles better than a Porsche Taycan GTS.