2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

It was the year 1900 when Rolls-Royce co-founder, the Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, described electric cars as being "perfectly noiseless and clean." He said that once fixed charging stations became a reality, EVs "should become very useful." This was a mindset that was way ahead of its time as it only took Rolls-Royce another 122 years to reveal its first all-electric car, the Spectre.

With silent, vibration-free propulsion, the new Spectre's 577-horsepower powertrain perfectly feeds into the brand's relentless quest to build the world's most comfortable, refined cars. The Spectre has the stunning interior and imposing coupe shape we expect, but it's the all-aluminum Architecture of Luxury that underpins it that ushers the brand into the electric era.

See all Trims and Specs

The release date for the Rolls-Royce Spectre is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023 when deliveries will start globally, USA included. It will be coming out without any direct rivals, as Bentley doesn't have its first EV ready yet, and there are no other two-door electric grand coupes on the market.

A starting price of $413,000 MSRP for the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre means that ever owning one will remain a dream for most of us. That price positions it between the Cullinan SUV and Phantom sedan within the brand's lineup.

While there are no direct rivals presently, this car will inevitably be compared with the new Cadillac Celestiq ultra-luxury EV. The Caddy costs over $300,000 in the USA, but a fully loaded model could get close to the base Spectre's price. The Celestiq has an extra pair of doors, dramatic styling, and more power, but as impressive as it is, it lacks the prestige of that Rolls-Royce badge.

Unlike the groundbreaking Celestiq, the exterior design of the Rolls-Royce Spectre isn't as jaw-droppingly different at first glance. That's not to say that it isn't a majestic piece of design, both instantly recognizable as a Rolls but also distinct from the brand's last two-door coupe, the Wraith.

Initial sketches for the 2024 Spectre were inspired by modern yacht concepts with their "clarity and precision of line." In front, we're glad to see that Rolls has not dispensed with its iconic Pantheon grille design despite this being its first EV. In fact, this grille with its polished stainless steel finish is the widest to ever be fitted to a Rolls-Royce. The vanes of the grille are smoother and have a flusher fit which assist with directing air around the front of the car, and at night, 22 LEDs softly illuminate the grille.

Also exactly where it should be is the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine; on its own, this aero-tuned figurine was the result of 830 combined hours of design modeling and wind tunnel testing. These efforts have helped Rolls-Royce achieve a drag coefficient of 0.25, making it the most aerodynamic Rolls ever. On either side of the grille are new split headlights; the upper part consists of ultra-slim daytime running lights.

Moving along the side, the coupe's fastback roofline is immediately noticeable. The coach doors are a feature shared with the Wraith coupe, and this is the first production two-door coupe to come with 23-inch wheels in almost a century. Starlight Doors with 4,796 softly illuminated 'stars' or coach doors with a backdrop of wood Canadel Paneling are available. At the back are rectangular, jewel-like taillights that are set into the largest single body panel ever made for a Rolls-Royce.

Being a Rolls-Royce, the paint colors you can choose from for the Spectre are virtually endless. Both standard and contrast colors are available, and a full aero two-tone effect can create an entirely unique look with just a few clicks on the online configurator.

Some of the standard colors are Black Diamond, Anthracite, Scala Red, English White, and Salamanca Blue. There is also a Commissioned Collection with some truly unique hues. Chartreuse is a gold shade, Twilight Purple looks like something you're more likely to find on a Dodge Challenger but has an entirely different effect when applied to the Spectre, and Magma Red is a lavish choice.

The same contrast colors are available, and there appear to be no limits; you can have a Magma Red primary color with Twilight Purple hood contrast stripes. To be clear, we don't recommend this combination at all, but it demonstrates what's possible. A Satin Silver hood is another option.

Moving to the wheels, customers can select from various 23-inch styles, including fully polished options. The Spirit of Ecstasy figurine can be illuminated, you can choose to have a coachline or not and what color it is, and rear privacy glass can be added.

In short, the scope for customization is mind-boggling but also precisely in line with Rolls-Royce tradition.

A prerequisite of any Rolls-Royce seems to be for it to have a large footprint, and that's no different for its first EV. The Rolls-Royce Spectre's ample dimensions will make most full-size sedans look small, as evidenced by a length of 214.7 inches. For some perspective, that's almost 24 inches longer than a Bentley Continental GT and 6.5 inches longer than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The width of the new Rolls-Royce Spectre coupe is 81.9 inches, and the unladen height works out to 61.4 inches. At 126.4 inches, the wheelbase is just as substantial as the rest of the car.

Those dimensions, coupled with a heavy battery, have resulted in a portly curb weight of 6,559 pounds - almost 1,543 lbs of that weight attributed to the battery. Overall, the Spectre weighs well over 1,000 lbs more than the older Wraith with its V12.

There is no whisper-quiet engine under the long hood of the Rolls-Royce Spectre. Instead, there are even more silent dual electric motors producing 577 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. With all-wheel drive, this hulk of a grand tourer will complete the 0-60 mph run in 4.4 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 155 mph. Rolls says that these are preliminary numbers, with final specs potentially changing following the car's final phase of testing in Q2 2023.

As a whole, the Spectre represents a fundamental engineering shift for the marque. Referred to as Rolls-Royce 3.0, the tailoring of the brand's Architecture of Luxury for electrification has resulted in a car that is 30% stiffer than any previous Rolls. That's thanks to various extruded aluminum sections and the fact that the battery is integrated into the structure of the car itself.

The Planar suspension is made up of various systems to keep the Spectre flat in corners and deliver the isolated, serene ride for which the brand is famous. With the Planar system, the car can decouple its anti-roll bars to allow each wheel to act independently. Upon approaching a corner, the components are recoupled and the dampers stiffened, while the four-wheel steering provides superior entry and exit. When cornering, no less than 18 sensors are monitored, and parameters like power delivery and steering are all adjusted for maximum control.

Whereas many automakers struggle to retain the same driving experience when transitioning to EVs, we expect the Spectre to feel quite close to driving any other Rolls.

As with some other specifications, the final range and MPGe rating of the Spectre are still to be determined. However, it's estimated that the Spectre will be able to cover 260 miles (by EPA standards) when its battery is fully charged. As for the size of the battery, that has not yet been disclosed.

260 miles is some way below the psychological 300-mile mark that so many manufacturers aim for with their EVs, but there is only so much that can be done with an EV of this size and weight.

While maximum charging speeds are also unknown at this stage, rumors suggest that the Spectre could share the 102-kWh battery with the BMW i7. If so, it could match that car's ability to charge at up to 195 kW with a DC system.

The interior of the Rolls-Royce Spectre is as sensational as expected. Its design isn't a great departure from gas-powered Rolls models, but because virtually every panel can be customized, one Spectre's cabin can end up looking completely unique from another.

Peer inside and all of the classic Rolls-Royce elements are there: the Starlight headliner, Illuminated Fascia, and fine leathers in an assortment of available colors. There are four seats in the Rolls-Royce Spectre, and those in the front have been inspired by British tailoring with their unique lapel sections. As usual, the embroidery, stitching, and piping are all immaculately executed.

The color choices for the leather are gorgeous, with primary hues - which cover the lower dashboard, door panels, and inside of the steering wheel - like Chartreuse, Grace White, Navy Blue, Tan, and Cashmere Grey. But a more flamboyant look can quite easily be achieved with unusual colors such as Mandarin, Peony Pink, Turchese, and Phoenix Red. Many of the same secondary colors are available, and this covers the seats and center armrest. Finally, a tertiary color provides a dash of striping to the seats.

Those seated in the second row are unlikely to be afforded as much space as in a Phantom, but they still have sumptuous wraparound seats to enjoy.

As if choosing the colors isn't hard enough, there are multiple veneers on offer. Open Pore options are plentiful, and among these are Sindora, Royal Walnut, Mimosa Negra, and Blackwood. Those preferring a High Gloss finish can choose from black or white.

Not everything in the cabin of the Spectre is shared with other Rolls models, though. A new introduction is gorgeous Starlight Doors which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated 'stars.' These look as extravagant as expected. Those elegant coach doors can also be optioned with a backdrop of Canadel Panelling, in which case the Starlight Doors are replaced.

The redesigned digital architecture, Spirit, not only controls many of the car's functions but changes the way customers interact with the Spectre. Interacting remotely with the car - via the Whispers app - is easier than ever, and the color of the dials can now match the interior color of the car, blurring the lines between the physical world and the car's digital architecture.

Ahead of the driver, digital gauges indicate how much power is in reserve, much like the power reserve meter found in the Phantom. The brand's iconic timepiece sits alongside the center screen, but for all the talk of the car's stupendous tech - it has 141,200 sender-receiver functions and over four miles of cabling - it's refreshing that there are still many physical controls.

There is no word on how much cargo space there is in the Rolls-Royce Spectre, but unlike many lesser EVs, there is no frunk.