Rolls-Royce Spectre (2024)

From the front, Rolls-Royce Spectre's split headlight treatment is intersected by the widest grille ever bestowed on a Rolls-Royce. The vanes of the Pantheon grille are now smoother in section and a flusher fit, designed to help guide the air around the motor car's front.

The relaxed angle and polished stainless steel finish of the grille does much to enhance Spectre's presence using environmental reflection. Along with an aero-tuned Spirit of Ecstasy figurine - itself the product of 830 combined hours of design modelling and wind tunnel testing - the grille enhances the motor car's unprecedented drag coefficient, which at just 0.25cd makes Spectre Rolls-Royce's most aerodynamic motor car, ever.

This intelligent treatment has been married to the iconography of Spectre's spiritual predecessor, the Phantom Coupé. Spectre clearly acknowledges its forebear with its generous proportions and split headlight treatment - a contemporary Rolls-Royce design tenet. Spectre's sharp daylight running lights emphasise the motor car's imperious two-metre width and are offset with lower lamp clusters that appear darkened, at first glance, but hide jewellery box-like darkened chromium housings for the headlights. To affirm Spectre's expression after dark, the grille is softly illuminated, with 22 LEDs lighting up the sandblasted rear side of each of the vanes, their gentle glow reflected in the polished front surfaces for a subtle and three-dimensional night signature.

In profile, the sharp, vertical bow line at the front of Rolls-Royce Spectre draws the eye rearward to its monolithic flanks. The lower line - known as the 'waft line' - borrows directly from yacht design. Instead of exaggerating movement with busy detailing or appliqués, Spectre's coachwork gently tucks into the sill, lightening the surfacing and creating an uncomplicated sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much as the hull of a racing yacht reflects the ocean as it cuts through water. This 'waft line' is the visual representation of the 'magic carpet ride' and its upwards sweep toward the front is inspired by the gently lifting bow of an accelerating power boat.

The silhouette's most dramatic feature is Spectre's fastback, which recalls the most evocative motor cars and watercraft in history. The seamlessness of the greenhouse surfacing significantly contributes to achieving the lowest drag coefficient ever for a Rolls-Royce. Following the roofline back, the tail lamps are set into the largest single body panel ever produced for a Rolls-Royce, which extends from the A-pillar to the luggage compartment. The jewel-like vertical tail lamps themselves are colourless for neutrality, in anticipation of the myriad of colourways selected by clients during the commissioning process. Their precision and reduced dimension complement the generous flow of the bodywork from the muscular shoulders backwards into the tail section with its characteristic tapering plan view.

The proportional demands of Spectre's scale required Rolls-Royce to embolden its wheel strategy. Spectre is the first production two-door coupé to be equipped with 23-inch wheels in almost one hundred years.

Inside, Spectre is provisioned with the most technologically advanced Bespoke features yet, drawing inspiration from the timeless mystique of the night's sky. For the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, Spectre is available with Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated 'stars'. The coach doors can also be commissioned with a backdrop of wood Canadel Panelling, which takes its name from the cove in the South of France where Sir Henry Royce and his design team spent their winters.

The ethereal night-time theme continues with Rolls-Royce Spectre's Illuminated Fascia. Developed over the course of two years and more than 10,000 collective hours, it incorporates the Spectre nameplate surrounded by a cluster of over 5,500 stars. Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the illuminations are completely invisible when the motor car is not in operation.

Alongside the extraordinary, illuminated surfaces, Spectre is equipped with a completely redesigned digital architecture of luxury named SPIRIT, presented in quintessential Rolls-Royce style. Not only will SPIRIT manage the motor car's functions, but it is seamlessly integrated into the marque's Whispers application, allowing clients to interact with their car remotely, and receive live information curated by the marque's luxury intelligence specialists.

For the first time ever, clients are now able to extend their Bespoke commission beyond the physical world and into the digital architecture that underpins SPIRIT. Inspired by the marque's clients' love of bespoke timepieces, the colour of the dials can now complement the interior hue of the motor car.

As with all Rolls-Royce motor cars, Spectre's interior suite offers clients near-infinite Bespoke possibilities. The all-new front seat design has been inspired by British tailoring, with lapel sections that can be rendered in contrasting or matching colours to the main base. Bespoke stitching, embroidery and intricate piping has, as ever, been considered in their inception.

ALL-ALUMINIUM ARCHITECTURE OF LUXURY

2003 saw the first Goodwood-era Phantom, built upon its own Bespoke architecture. This renaissance of the brand was Rolls-Royce 1.0. Following this, the 'Architecture of Luxury' was conceived - a new, highly flexible all-aluminium spaceframe architecture, and visionary feat of engineering, that could be tailored for electric drive, as well as today's Phantom, Cullinan and Ghost models, and Coachbuild projects. This expansion of the marque's offering was Rolls-Royce 2.0. The ability to tailor the Architecture of Luxury for electric drive was a fundamental consideration when it was first conceived. However, it is only now that electric drive technology is advanced enough to fulfil the Rolls-Royce experience. The introduction of a fully-electric powertrain and Decentralised Intelligence into the marque's portfolio represents Rolls-Royce 3.0 and the beginning of the bold new all-electric era.

By ensuring from the outset that the Architecture of Luxury could be tailored to the requirements of an all-electric Rolls-Royce, the marque's engineers ensured the continuity of experience from its current portfolio, each evolution of which has done much to secure the brand's ongoing global success. Indeed, the inherent flexibility of the architecture and ease of integration of an electric powertrain has freed engineers, designers and craftspeople to focus on the quality of experience, authenticity of design and innovation in Bespoke.

For Spectre, Rolls-Royce engineers have unlocked further benefits. The sophisticated extruded aluminium sections and integration of the battery into the structure of the motor car enable it to be 30% stiffer than any previous Rolls-Royce. The flexibility of the architecture has also allowed engineers to place the floor halfway between the sill structures rather than on top or underneath them. A channel has been created for wiring and climate control pipework between the battery and the floor, with the battery mounted underneath, providing a perfectly smooth underfloor profile. This not only creates a low seating position and enveloping cabin but realises a secondary function for the battery - almost 700kg of sound deadening.

DIGITAL ENGINEERING

For Spectre, Rolls-Royce's engineers have seen much of their discipline pivot from the workshop to the digital space. Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce in history, and in harnessing the power of the motor car's remarkable Decentralised Intelligence processing capabilities there is more requirement than ever for expert human experience.

To ensure the continuity of the Rolls-Royce experience, as well as its progression, the marque selected the most experienced test and development engineers to lead the project, some of whom have been with the marque for more than two decades and were responsible for creating the first 'Goodwood-era' Phantom. These engineers describe the experience offered by Spectre as akin to "Rolls-Royce in high definition" on account of the speed and accuracy of the motor car's response to a worldwide spread of road and weather conditions.

For this to be realised, a dedicated control has been handmade for each of the 141,200 sender-receiver variables, and in nearly all cases engineers have designed several more sub-variables for variations in climate, ground speed, road type, vehicle status and driving style. These have been crafted over the course of Spectre's 2.5 million kilometre testing programme both on advanced proving grounds and on real roads around the world.

PLANAR SUSPENSION

In testing Rolls-Royce Spectre, the process includes extreme driving conditions - development of the motor car began just 55km from the arctic circle in Arjeplog, Sweden, at temperatures as low as -40 degrees centigrade, and it will continue across Southern Africa, in temperatures of up to 55 degrees centigrade. Yet, 55% of testing is taking place on the very roads that many production Spectres will be driven on. Of particular significance was the French Riviera. It was on the Côte d'Azur that Spectre's digitally integrated evolution of the renowned Planar suspension system was finalised.

Planar suspension is an orchestra of systems with precisely defined responses to driver inputs and road conditions, made possible by the latest software and hardware developments, delivering Rolls-Royce's hallmark 'magic carpet ride'.

Using a suite of new hardware components and leveraging Spectre's high-speed processing capabilities, the Planar system can decouple the car's anti-roll bars allowing each wheel to act independently, preventing the rocking motion that occurs when one side of a vehicle hits an undulation in the road. This also reduces high-frequency ride imperfections caused by shortcomings in road surface quality.

Once a corner is identified as imminent, the Planar system recouples the components and stiffens the dampers, the four-wheel steering system is then prepared for activation to ensure effortless entry and exit. Under cornering, 18 sensors are monitored, and steering, braking, power delivery and suspension parameters are adjusted so that Spectre remains stable. The result is effortless control.

ENGINEERING

The first Goodwood-era Rolls-Royce, launched in 2003, was Phantom. Underpinned by its own Bespoke architecture, this was Rolls-Royce 1.0. For its successor, the marque created the 'Architecture of Luxury' (see below) - an all-aluminium spaceframe that also provides the foundations for Cullinan and Ghost - representing Rolls-Royce 2.0. With its fully-electric powertrain and Decentralised Intelligence, Spectre marks the start of Rolls-Royce 3.0, and a new era for super-luxury motoring.

All-aluminium Architecture of Luxury

Spectre is the fourth series Rolls-Royce to be built on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which is unique and proprietary to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In a farsighted move reminiscent of Charles Rolls' famous prophecy, it was deliberately conceived from the outset to accommodate an electric powertrain as and when the technology became available.

It comprises an all-aluminium spaceframe that is infinitely scalable and modifiable around four fixed points, one at each corner of the motor car. This inherent flexibility allows Rolls-Royce to adjust the bulkhead, floor, crossmembers and sill panels in a way most appropriate to each individual product.

With Spectre, Rolls-Royce engineers unlocked previously unexplored potential in the concept. The sophisticated extruded aluminium sections and integration of the battery into the structure make Spectre's spaceframe 30% stiffer than in any previous Rolls-Royce. The architecture also allowed engineers to place the floor halfway between the sill structures rather than above or underneath them.

A channel for wiring and climate control pipework runs between the battery and the floor, with the battery mounted underneath, producing a perfectly smooth underfloor profile. This allows a low seating position, while moving the bulkhead location deepens the dashboard to create a truly cocooning passenger cabin. This sensation is amplified by Spectre's dramatically raked windscreen, which also contributes to the car's exceptional aerodynamics (see below).

The battery's position gives it a highly beneficial secondary function: fully integrated into the motor car's architecture, it acts as 700kg of additional acoustic insulation.

All-electric drivetrain

With Spectre, Rolls-Royce committed to an uncompromised electric future by specifying an all-electric drivetrain rather than a hybrid solution. It is fitted with two Separately Excited Synchronous Motors (SSMs). The front electric motor produces 190kW / 365 Nm, with the rear motor delivering 360kW / 710 Nm. In performance terms, this equates to an internal combustion engine of 430kW (584 hp) with 900Nm of torque. In terms of acceleration, Spectre achieves 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds).

In establishing an appropriate range for Spectre, the marque first engaged with clients, to understand their requirements. The confirmed range of 530km (329 miles) WLTP goes beyond these requirements, confirming that Spectre fits perfectly into the lifestyle of Rolls-Royce clients, who have an average of more than seven cars in their garage to choose from for any occasion, and who drive an average of 5,100km in their current Rolls-Royce per year.

Charge time from 10-80% is 34 minutes using a 195 kW (DC) fast charger: this will also produce sufficient charge for 100km in around nine minutes.

Spectre is equipped with Active Lane Centring and Adaptive Cruise Control simultaneously.

Battery

Spectre has a 102kWh lithium-ion battery, made using cobalt and lithium from strictly controlled sources in Australia, Morocco and Argentina: the battery cells are produced using 100% green electricity. It has been extensively tested in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +50°C: Spectre's on-board thermal management system maintains an optimum operating temperature at all times.

Braking recuperation

Spectre has a braking recuperation function that the driver can configure by pushing a button marked 'B' on the Column Shifter. By activating 'Brake Mode', braking recuperation is increased, enabling so-called single-pedal driving and even allowing the car to come to a complete stop if desired. The default setting on starting is low recuperation, mimicking the automatic driving style of an internal combustion engine Rolls-Royce.

Digital Engineering

Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce in history, with three times as many sender-receiver signals as any previous model. Indeed, engineers describe it as 'Rolls-Royce in ultra-high definition' on account of the speed and accuracy of its responses to road and weather conditions. Each of the car's thousands of drivetrain and chassis characteristics were exhaustively tested and refined during its 2.5-million-kilometre testing programme.

Through a software architecture known as Decentralised Intelligence, data is processed closer to its source rather than being handled in its entirety by a single central processing unit. To achieve this, each of the 141,200 sender-receiver variables has its own dedicated handmade control; in nearly all cases, several additional sub-variables account for variations in climate, ground speed, road type, vehicle status and driving style. This enables the car to respond more quickly to driver inputs and changing road conditions.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• DIMENSIONS
  • Number of doors / seats: 2 doors / 4 seats
  • Vehicle length: 5475 mm
  • Vehicle width (excl mirrors): 2017 mm
  • Vehicle width (incl mirrors): 2144 mm
  • Vehicle height (unladen): 1573 mm
  • Wheelbase: 3210 mm
  • Turning circle: 12.7 m
  • Kerb weight: 2890 kg
• DRIVING PERFORMANCE
  • Power: 430kW (584 hp)
  • Torque: 900Nm
  • Acceleration
    • 0-60mph: 4.4 seconds
    • 0-100km/h: 4.5 seconds
• ELECTRIC MOTORS
  • Number of motors: 2
  • Type of motors: Separately Excited Synchronous Motor (SSM)
  • Front motor power: 190kW / 365 Nm
  • Rear motor power: 360kW / 710 Nm
• LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
  • Net capacity: 102 kWh
• RANGE AND CHARGING
  • Range: 530km (329 miles) WLTP
  • Charging 10-80% 195 kW (DC): 34 minutes
  • Charging 10-80% 50 kW (DC): 95 minutes
  • Charging 0-100% 22 kW (AC): 5 hours 30 minutes