Rolls-Royce Spectre electric super-coupe revealed

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its first EV, the all-new 2023 Roll-Royce Spectre, ahead of the all-new luxury electric coupe’s global launch in the final quarter of 2023 and the lauded British brand’s transition to a pure-electric future by 2030.

Created to replace the Rolls-Royce Phantom coupe that was quietly discontinued back in 2016, the Spectre – which has already attracted several reservations from cashed-up Aussies – is the first zero-emissions car in the luxury car-maker's 120-year history.

Despite swapping the Phantom coupe’s 6.75-litre petrol V12 for a pair of electric motors and a huge 120kWh battery, the 2023 Spectre rides on a development of the same all-aluminium Architecture of Luxury platform as the latest Phantom and Ghost sedans and the Cullinan SUV.

In the metal, the Spectre also keeps the traditional proportions of a powerful rear-drive coupe, with a long bonnet hinting at a powerful engine beneath, while the swoopy side profile and fastback styling hint at its sportier position in the brand's line-up.

Speaking of powertrains, driving the Spectre is a pair of electric motors that produce a combined 430kW of power and 900Nm of torque. That's enough to shrug off its mammoth 2975kg kerb weight and haul the big coupe from zero to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, says its maker.

Rolls-Royce says the ultra-luxurious coupe should have a generous range of 520km on the strict WLTP test cycle.

Boasting a low drag coefficient of just 0.25Cd, the Spectre is the slipperiest Roller of all time, with every element of its design wind-tunnel tested to reduce drag, including the brand's trademark Spirit of Ecstasy mascot that now leans forward for less wind resistance.

Despite its wind-cheating shape, designers have still managed to slap the widest ever grille onto the imposing Rolls’ snout, although the Pantheon grille is both smoother, features a flusher fit and has angled vanes that help guide the air around the nose.

The same grille is now illuminated at night with up to 22 LEDs.

Look closely at the big coupe’s side profile and you might even see the Spectre’s new ‘waft line’ that is said to add drama to its smooth surfaces and give the impression of the gently lifting bow of a boat accelerating. A similar beltline drops from the rear to the front, creating the impression of more dynamism.

Measuring in at 5423mm long, 2080mm wide and 1559mm high, and riding on a stretched 3210mm wheelbase, the Spectre has an imposing footprint on the road.

Within the cabin it’s as luxurious as you would imagine, with designers shunning a Tesla-style clean and minimalist interior in favour of something far more inviting.

In what’s easily Rolls-Royce's most advanced cabin yet, for the first time the infotainment system is operated via a touch-screen, but most occupants will likely spend more time admiring the heady mix of leather and timber.

As you would hope from its proportions, there's even plenty of space inside – both in the front and rear – for large adults, although access to the second row isn't quite as dignified as it should be as it’s via those two big rear-hinged doors.

Once seated, at least there's loads of headroom and your own air-vents and climate controls.

Also new for the Spectre are the Starlight Doors, which incorporate 2398 ‘stars’ per side for a total of 4796 including the Starlight Headliner.

Hidden away is Rolls-Royce’s next-gen SPIRIT digital connectivity system, which allows owners to control their car remotely using a smartphone app.

Ensuring the driving experience matches its near-million-dollar price tag, engineers have bolstered the Architecture of Luxury with extra strengthening to boost rigidity by around 30 per cent, in order to cope with the extra weight of the battery-electric powertrain.

Handily, the platform allows for the 700kg battery pack to be positioned between its two axles, the arrangement not only providing a smooth underbody but giving the power pack a secondary role in suppressing road and tyre noise generated by the huge 23-inch rims.

Rolls-Royce said the battery also allowed engineers to use 120kg less sound-absorbing material compared to the Phantom.

One of the greatest challenges that faced engineers is the fact the Spectre is now so quiet inside that a mere cough from its driver or passengers can startle all those on board, says Rolls-Royce, which is now considering piping in an artificial soundtrack, or white noise, to make travelling in the near-silent Spectre more comfortable.

Ensuring the Spectre maintains Rolls-Royce’s famous ‘magic carpet ride’ levels of comfort, the luxurious coupe comes with latest-generation ‘Planar’ air suspension that relies on 18 sensors and other new hardware to individually decouple the car's anti-roll bars while adjusting damping and spring rates for each wheel individually, to deliver maximum comfort on a bumpy road.

The same system pre-arms the chassis for approaching corners by adjusting both the all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and suspension systems, and the level of torque deployed to each wheel to deliver the most efficient entry and exit performance.

Rolls-Royce has already admitted it won't lead the way when it comes to autonomous driving – it will leave that up to its parent BMW – but the Spectre will come with an enhanced Level 2+ cruise control system that will automatically lane-keep but require supervision at all times.

To ensure the first-ever all-electric Rolls-Royce is fit for purpose, it has already undertaken testing involving more than 2.5-million kilometres on real roads.

Amusingly, out of those miles, 625,000km were covered on the French Riviera – the very place many Spectres will one day call home – although to cope with our heat as well as enduring -40C cold in the arctic circle, the Spectre had to also keep its cool in 55C temperatures during hot-weather testing in South Africa.

First deliveries of the Spectre will arrive in Australia towards the end of this year and Rolls-Royce says the electric coupe will be positioned between the Cullinan and Phantom, so expect prices to kick-off at around $800,000 – although most owners will spend at least another six figures in personalisation.

Despite officially replacing the Phantom coupe, it’s thought the Spectre will also act as an indirect substitute for the smaller Wraith coupe and the Dawn convertible, hinting that a glamourous drop-top version could also be in the works.

Commenting on the new Rolls-Royce Spectre, the car-maker's global CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said:

“Spectre possesses all the qualities that have secured the Rolls-Royce legend. This incredible motor car, conceived from the very beginning as our first fully-electric model, is silent, powerful and demonstrates how perfectly Rolls-Royce is suited to electrification.

“Spectre’s all-electric powertrain will assure the marque’s sustained success and relevance while dramatically increasing the definition of each characteristic that makes a Rolls-Royce a Rolls-Royce.”

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