The Rolls-Royce Spectre – the first luxury sports EV – gets a Series II overhaul

The announcement of the Series II versions of Rolls-Royce’s first EV, the Spectre, will get more attention than it would otherwise have received given the recent tempestuous debut of the Ferrari Luce. Rolls is not the kind of company to acknowledge, let along get flustered by, a potential rival, but we must all agree that the (presumably coincidental) choice of colour is a useful one.

Right now, the Spectre is pretty much the only EV that matches the Luce’s stratospheric price and socio-economic strata, despite the large gulf between the image and intention of both brands. Whereas Ferrari’s decision to court the family market baffled normally clear-thinking analysts (in addition to tripping the hair triggers of the perennially opiniated), Rolls is more than happy to lay bare some pertinent stats.

According to their own customer – sorry, client – research, Rolls discovered that the Spectre is ‘typically the second Rolls-Royce in a seven-car garage,’ and is used each for around 4,000 miles (6,500 km) each year. Spectre owners usually charge at home and drive the four-seater car on their own. In short, this big EV is very much an occasional car, perhaps put to use on the occasional weekend trip to the continent.

The starting price of the original Spectre was around £333,000; although the Goodwood company’s copious options list and bespoke opportunities can push each car closer to the Luce’s £474,320 they’re unlikely to exceed it. However, there’s also the sportier Spectre Black Badge, which can very easily be brought into Luce territory.

So what’s new in Series II? A Rolls overhaul is a subtle event, but the headline stats are an increase to the official range, up by 18% to a Luce-beating 390 miles (628km). Charging is quicker too, and the Spectre Series II Black Badge takes the crown of the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, delivering some 1100Nm of torque in Rolls-Royce’s coyly named ‘Spirited’ mode.

The other differences are cosmetic and are largely concerned with how much you’re willing to spend to transform Spectre Series II into a personal statement. This includes the introduction of the Duality Twill and Placed Perforation interior finishes, introduced to the Spectre for the very first time. The Black Badge gets the shadowy but showy ‘Iced Black’ matte exterior finishes and there’s a new 23” wheel design.

While you don’t get performance statistics out of Rolls-Royce, the numbers the company has released are no less stellar. For example, that Duality Twill cloth interior uses some 2.6 million stitches and 10 miles of thread. Available in Lilac, Chocolate, Black and Sage, it can be finished in 50 different thread colours.

One alternative to the twill is Placed Perforation leather is also available for Spectre Series II, which displays artworks on seat surfaces uses three different-sized perforations or on the door cards, where the patterns can also be backlit.

According to Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design at Rolls-Royce, ‘Spectre has consistently been recognised as one of the most elegant automotive forms of the modern era. Clients frequently cite its design as one of the defining reasons for their commission, and it will undoubtedly take its place in future collections of remarkable motor cars.’

There are plenty more lines to read between in the announcements surrounding Spectre Series II, such as Rolls-Royce’s assertion that electric power ‘…delivers an experience completely in tune with the marque’s values, confirming Rolls-Royce’s authority in shaping the future of super-luxury motoring.’

The company is certainly going through a phase of doubling down on its luxury credentials, such as the Project Nightingale cars, part of a new Coachbuild Collection, and a determination to find new and compelling material and accessory stories in each model.

Spectre Series II gets a new high gloss ‘Brindled Walnut’ veneer, made from waste walnut blended with eucalyptus fibres to create a striped pattern material from which veneer can be cut and polished. There’s also a new fascia design with over 8,000 integrated pixel-like lights and a brand new aviation-inspired timepiece.

‘This motor car’s extraordinary reception around the world has also established Spectre as one of the most compelling canvases for Bespoke in our contemporary product portfolio, inspiring clients to pursue ever more individual and ambitious commissions,’ says Chris Brownridge, Rolls-Royce’s Chief Executive, ‘With Spectre Series II, we extend those possibilities even further. This refinement of a modern masterpiece is made in the spirit of our co-founder, Sir Henry Royce who said: ‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.’’

Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II, price tbc, Rolls-RoyceMotorcars.com, @RollsRoyceCars