The Rolls-Royce Spectre marks the beginning of an all-electric era for Rolls-Royce. Launched at an eye-watering Rs 7.5 crore, the Spectre is said to be inspired by racing yachts and features a fastback silhouette. It is the spiritual successor to the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead coupe and sits between the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom, in terms of pricing.
The Rolls-Royce Spectre gets the widest Pantheon grille fitted in a Rolls-Royce, illuminated with 22 LEDs. Spectre is the fourth series Rolls-Royce to be built on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which is proprietary to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It comprises an all-aluminium space frame that is infinitely scalable and modifiable around four fixed points, one at each corner of the car. The Spectre also gets the largest doors ever to be fitted in a Rolls-Royce, sitting at 1.5m in length. The Spirit of Ecstasy was redesigned for the Spectre, with a lower-stance and more aerodynamic profile, for an impressive 0.25cd drag co-efficient. It has the largest single body panel ever produced for a Rolls-Royce, which extends from the A-pillar to the luggage compartment. It also gets 23-inch wheels with four-wheel steering.
The Rolls-Royce Spectre is positioned as a luxurious, four-seater super coupe. The interior is infinitely customisable and can be optioned with features like starlight doors with 4,796 illuminated stars. The passenger-side dashboard gets a Spectre nameplate surrounded by a cluster of 5,500 stars and are only visible when the car is in operation. The front has lapel sections that can be specced in contrasting colours. It gets electronically-operated doors and the driver’s door can be closed by pressing the brake pedal also.
The Rolls-Royce Spectre is powered by two electric motors that produce a combined output of 576bhp and 900Nm of torque. It can sprint from 0-100kmph in 4.5 seconds, despite its kerb weight of 2,890kg. It has a 102kWh battery, which was tested in temperatures ranging from -40°c to 50°c, with a claimed range of 530km. It takes 34 minutes to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent, using a 195kW DC fast charger and can deliver up to 100km range in around nine minutes. It is also equipped with ADAS with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. It has a braking recuperation function, that can be activated by pushing a button on the column shifter. It also gets Planar suspension setup that can automatically decouple Spectre’s anti-roll bars, allowing each wheel to act independently. This prevents the rocking motion that occurs when one side of a vehicle hits an undulation in the road. During cornering, individual sensors monitor almost 20 different steering, braking, power delivery and suspension parameters, and adjust them automatically to maintain perfect tracking and stability.
The Rolls-Royce Spectre is priced at Rs 7.5 crore in India and sits in a class of its own. The Mercedes-Benz EQS is priced at Rs 1.62 crore, the BMW i7 is priced at Rs 2.24 crore, and the Porsche Taycan is priced at Rs 1.61 crore.