A Rolls-Royce first, an electric car second: that was the brief from company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös to the engineering team creating the Spectre. "People tell us they would have bought the Spectre with a V12," says MüllerÖtvös of the customers who have already seen and ordered the car without driving it. "That shows this is the right car."
The Spectre, then, is Rolls-Royce's new flagship two-door coupé that just happens to be powered by electricity. At 5.5 metres long, it's the indirect (and lower and sleeker) successor to the Phantom Coupé that went out of production in 2016, and it's bigger than the also now retired Wraith and Dawn two-door models.
"The Phantom Coupé is seen as one of the most striking Rolls-Royce cars, and it's pretty rare: maybe only a couple of hundred [were made]," says Müller-Ötvös. "If you own one, look after it and don't sell it... Clients say it would be great to bring it back, and this inspires what we do. We didn't want to do an EV, we wanted to do the most luxurious coupé. Electric is just a by-product. This is just the next phase for V12."
The Spectre was revealed late last year, and it looks like the finished article when we arrive in South Africa's Western Cape to drive it. Yet although it looks finished from the outside, this isn't an ordinary first drive: the car is only 60% ready for production and at least eight months away from being in the hands of its first customers towards the end of this year.
Esta historia es de la edición February 08, 2023 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 08, 2023 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
MG 4
An EV changes your driving style - but not to the detriment of pleasure
PEUGEOT E-208
Time with our French hatch is up. Is it good riddance or au revoir?
In the hot seat
Is the best automotive job in the world actually in miniature scale? Hot Wheels' design boss assures STEPHEN DOBIE it is
Correcting the record
Autocar invented the road test back in 1928 - or did we? KEITH JONES trawls the past to find the true starting point
Road test rebooted
As the Autocar road test forges into its second century, its brief is expanding and it's returning to a familiar place. MATT SAUNDERS explains
Cyber attack
MG is back on the international stage and now trying to return to its sports car roots. MATT SAUNDERS sees if the Cyberster EV can match up to a rival from the present and a relation from the past
KIA PICANTO
As rivals fall by the wayside, Kia's popular city car gets a makeover
MASERATI GRANTURISMO
Latest coupé in a long line of Maserati GT cars hits the UK with V6 power
PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS COUPE
New V8 model gets all the goodies
TOYOTA PRIUS
Back by popular demand with a cool new look and greater driver appeal