Should you buy a Rolls Royce Spectre?

There is no good, sensible reason for buying a Rolls Royce Spectre, but I’d be exceedingly tempted by the brand’s first production electric car should my lottery numbers come in. The ride comfort beats almost anything I’ve driven in the last 12 months (and I’ve driven at least 100 cars in that time), yet the Infinity mode tightens things up appreciably should you have somewhere to go in a hurry.

It’s not lightning fast or particularly agile-feeling, but the Spectre can be driven at a surprisingly brisk pace and manages its near three-tonne heft remarkably well. Besides, a slower journey means more time to appreciate the sumptuous interior and sense of well-being the Spectre is so good at providing. It’s even spacious enough for an Isofix seat in the back, while the suicide doors help access.

Faults? The range is a touch disappointing, and some of the interior trims looked a bit out of place to me. Avoid Black Badge models – or commission something not off the peg – and you’ll find more traditional wood and a slight range improvement. It’s also worth pointing out that the Spectre is massive. Bear in mind the pictured car is running 23-inch wheels which hides its true size which is longer than a long-wheelbase Ford Transit Custom and nearly as wide.

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What’s new?

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Introduced in 2023, the Rolls Royce Spectre is a vast two-door coupe that’s only available with pure electric power. The range was expanded in 2025 to include the Black Badge, a more performance-oriented version that sacrifices a bit of driving range for more speed. In fact, this is Rolls Royce’s most powerful car ever.

The two electric motors – one for the front wheels and another for the back – produce the same 585hp as a regular Spectre in normal mode, rising to 659hp if you’ve pressed the Infinity mode button. That’s enough for a 4.1 second 0-60mph time, not bad for nearly three tonnes of car.

There are no real direct rivals for the Spectre as yet as there aren’t really any other high-end luxury car makers producing two-door EVs. Yes, you can get a Maybach version of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, and there’s also the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore for those that want a coupe, but none sit quite so highly in the automotive pecking order as the Spectre. That also goes for the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin Vanquish.

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What’s it like inside?

Undoubtedly the lap of luxury, although it’s possible to make some very questionable colour and trim choices. While the regular Spectre is more traditional luxury, the Black Badge is aimed at a younger, bolder crowd who might appreciate the carbon fibre trim, lurid leather colours and even coloured lighting for the grille.

Quality remains top notch with plastics proving exceptionally hard to find amongst the sea of supple leather, real metal trims and that carbon fibre. Perhaps the steering column stalks could look and feel a bit more expensive, but I’m splitting hairs here.

Both the infotainment screen and driver’s display are responsive and have crisp graphics, although the central screen is clearly a renosed BMW system complete with an iDrive physical dial on the centre console. I also felt the driver’s display looked like something from a much cheaper car, and that a couple of analogue dials would be more appropriate.

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Comfort

This is an area where the Spectre should excel, and in most areas it won’t disappoint. Although the front seats aren’t quite as multi-adjustable as some cheaper options, they do have heating, ventilation and a passable massage function as standard.

Even without turning those trinkets on, the leather is supple and the wide range of adjustment means you’ll happily spend hours behind the wheel. A heated steering wheel is also standard, while the rear seats are more like individual thrones than the usual cramped perches you’d expect in a coupe.

Rolls Royce Spectre boot space and practicality

Space is exceptionally good for a two-door coupe, if only adequate when you consider its near 5.5 metre length. Nobody is likely to complain about the room on offer up front, and I’ve never experienced a coupe that’s so happy to take an Isofix seat in the back.

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Four adults could genuinely fit, and most grown ups would be comfy in the back, too. The 380-litre boot is far bigger than coupe rivals, if still only on par with a family hatchback. This figure includes and underfloor storage area to stop your cables grubbying the thick carpets.

Safety

It seems very unlikely that Euro NCAP will ever crash test something as expensive and rarified as the Spectre, but I’d expect it to score very highly. Rolls Royce is owned by BMW after all, and apart from a couple of exceptions (the four star i4 and 2 Series Coupe) every current BMW tested gets five stars.

You do get a good range of safety equipment as standard, though. This includes the usual automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist and speed limit warning, plus blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control with lane following.

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Rolls Royce Spectre motors and batteries

All Spectres get a pair of electric motors to provide four-wheel drive, and a 102kWh battery pack to power them. The entry-level Spectre makes do with a mere 585hp and a 0-60mph time of 4.4 seconds, with the Black Badge upping reserves to 659hp for a 4.1 second 0-60mph time.

I’ve only driven the Black Badge which gets up to speed hilariously quickly for such a big brute whilst shielding you from much of the sensation. There’s no real noise or drama to it, the nose just rises like a powerboat before you’re hurled down the road. Spirited mode – launch control in all but name – gives access to headline acceleration time, but it feels somewhat out of character for a Rolls Royce.

Official figures suggest the normal Spectre should be good for up to 328 miles of range with the smallest wheels fitted, and the Black Badge 308 miles. My experience suggests a figure nearer 220 miles for the Black Badge is realistic if you’re using the performance on occasion. That’s not great for something that’d be ideal as a long distance cruiser.

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Recharge rates are also a bit disappointing. The 195kW maximum rapid charge rate is by no means bad in isolation, but EVs from Porsche and Lotus can recharge even quicker. While the Spectre needs 36 minutes to get from 10-80%, the cheaper alternatives mentioned above can do the same in less than 20 minutes.

A regular 7.4kW home wallbox will take around 16 hours to fully charge the Spectre from empty, although it is capable of accepting up to 22kW if you have a three-phase supply at home. This should knock roughly a third off that time, so you can plug it in of an evening and wake up the following day with a fully charged car.

What’s it like to drive?

Serene for the most part, assuming you haven’t buried the accelerator pedal in the ridiculously thick carpet. It can’t quite match the Taycan’s optional active suspension for the full magic carpet effect, but it’s only really at lower speeds that you’ll notice the odd thud or bit of suddenness from the suspension.

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The Black Badge being tested comes with the biggest 23-inch wheels as standard, with the regular Spectre available with 22-inch wheels that should cushion you a little better. As speeds increase you’re aware of a pleasant and totally appropriate waft that makes it feel like a big ship cutting through rough seas.

Infinity mode tightens the suspension a little to bring a bit more body control without ruining the ride. You’ll definitely want to hit it if you’re cornering quickly as it feels like the Spectre sheds a couple of hundred kilos and it stays a lot more level.

Four-wheel steering is standard which is a real boon in tight situations, and also helps with agility. The rear motor is a lot more powerful than the front which gives a pleasing cornering balance, and stops the steering wheel writhing in your hands as you accelerate. That’s not something you can say about a Lotus Emeya R.

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The steering is quite light and not particularly fast, but that feels right for this type of car. That’s especially true when you realise just how quiet it is, with very little in the way of noise coming from anywhere. That’s surprising given the sheer size of the door mirrors that block quite a lot of your view forwards.

Running costs

The good news is that the Spectre should be far cheaper to fuel than the V12s that sit under the bonnet of every other Roller, especially if you charge at home. However, servicing, consumables and insurance will be fearsomely pricey.

What models and trims are available?

Just the two, Spectre and Spectre Black Badge. The former is the pure luxury offering while the latter is a little sportier. I’d be tempted by the regular version just for the more old school luxury vibe, but you don’t have to pick off the peg with Rolls Royce…

What else should I know?

While most car companies limit your choices to whatever the online configurator shows, that’s certainly not the case with the Spectre. From bespoke colours and materials to custom touches and even unique one-off cars, the sky (and your bank balance) is the limit with Rolls Royce.