Rolls-Royce is aiming for a new era with the production of the Specter. For the first time, the British luxury car manufacturer has developed an electric car that is to be launched as a series model. This is intended to create a new vehicle class: the “Ultra-Luxury Electric Super Coupé”. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, speaks of the “most anticipated Rolls-Royce in history”. For this purpose, the BMW subsidiary relies on a combination of sporty properties and luxury, whereby the Specter, which is a good two meters wide and around 5.50 meters long, is intended to attract attention above all visually.
The design of the electric coupe shows clear parallels to previous vehicle models and has the distinctive radiator grille typical of Rolls-Royce cars. This is even wider than that of other vehicles of the brand. 22 built-in LEDs are intended to enhance the expression of the radiator grille in the dark. In addition, the luxury car manufacturer relies on a vertical bow line at the front of the coupé, which is intended to direct the view to its monolithic flanks. The design should be based directly on the design of yachts.
“Flying Carpet Ride”
Rolls-Royce also uses striking elements in the interior of the two-door Specter. This includes small lights in the roof, the doors and an illuminated Specter logo with over 5500 stars on the passenger side of the dashboard. It goes without saying that customers can also customize the interior design. According to the automaker, the possibilities here are “virtually unlimited”.
In addition, the so-called planar chassis is one of the special features of the super luxury electric car. It should enable a “ride on the flying carpet”. The system should be able to decouple the vehicle’s stabilizers, allowing each wheel to act independently of the others. As a result, swaying when driving on uneven roads should be prevented. If the system recognizes a curve, it couples the components back together and stiffens the dampers. This should ensure a pleasant cornering. 18 sensors monitor the journey and adjust the steering, brakes, power transmission and suspension accordingly. The manufacturer advertises that it is the most connected Rolls-Royce in the history of the brand.
Rolls-Royce specifies the engine output with a torque of 900 Newton meters and 430 kW (585 hp). The electric drive is supposed to bring the roughly three-ton colossus from a standing start to a driving speed of 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. According to the information, the cW value (drag coefficient) is 0.25 – the lowest value that a Rolls-Royce ever had. The energy consumption is currently given as 21.5 kWh/100 kilometers, the maximum range of 520 kilometers according to WLTP. The BMW subsidiary has not yet provided any information about the battery, such as capacity and charging time.
Rolls-Royce Specter undergoes the most rigorous testing program in company history
The Specter has been in a test phase since winter 2021, during which the vehicle developers test the car under various conditions. The tests should correspond to the use of almost 400 years under some of the most extreme conditions in the world. It is said to be the most rigorous testing program in the brand’s 118-year history. Accordingly, all performance-related vehicle functions have been meticulously tuned – 25,000 in number. After tests were carried out at minus 40 degrees in Arjeplog, Sweden, the Specter faced sunnier, significantly milder temperatures in the summer of 2022: test drives were carried out on the French Riviera and the Côte d’Azur.
The vehicle is currently undergoing heat tests in South Africa at temperatures of up to over 50 degrees. The heat is crucial, for example, for the roll stabilization (system for chassis regulation). Here it is important to check whether there is a change in the hardness of the rubber spring components. In addition, the engineers also want to ensure that the seals function correctly in both extremely hot and cold temperatures – i.e. the vehicle cabin is insulated. The light elements that appear when the car door is opened have already been tested under different lighting conditions.
When the testing program in South Africa is complete, the Specter will have completed 80 percent of the testing. In the final ratification phase, there are year-round tests with a return to the arctic extreme areas of Arjeplog and the Côte d’Azur – where many production vehicles are expected to be at home. Finally, there are still another 500,000 kilometers to cover, during which Rolls-Royce wants to analyze the reactions of consumers. The luxury car is to be used in global megacities, at new and historic luxury destinations, for example, and tested specifically for customers.
The Rolls-Royce Specter is scheduled to roll out to customers from the fourth quarter of this year. In terms of price, the British luxury brand’s first electric car is said to be between the Cullinan and the Phantom. The purchase price should therefore be around 400,000 euros.
Sources: Rolls Royce