New Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II: Ferrari Luce rival is more elegant than ever
The Spectre Black Badge is the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever, now with 671bhp and up to 1,100Nm of torque at its disposal
The Rolls-Royce Spectre has been updated with even more power, more possibilities for personalisation and a greater sense of splendour. The new Series II has arrived just one week after the highly controversial Ferrari Luce was revealed, perhaps to remind the world’s elite that ultra-luxurious electric cars can be graceful.
Both the standard and range-topping Black Badge versions of the Spectre have been updated with largely subtle changes, but the most significant tweaks went to the more potent version. Almost all of its brightwork now has a new, specially developed Iced Black matte finish, as do the new ‘open-spoke’ wheels that provide a glimpse of the car’s enormous brakes.
Even the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy is now matte black, although the vanes of the Black Badge’s Pantheon grille are still polished to a brilliant shine, because the designers wanted “to preserve the motor car’s identity”.
Meanwhile, the regular Spectre Series II is available in a new Ethereal Blue hue and features a set of 23-inch forged alloy wheels designed to capture and reflect light from every angle. Each wheel is finished by hand, which Rolls-Royce says takes up to six hours.
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What does the new Rolls-Royce Spectre look like inside?
The Spectre’s interior has been carefully refined as well. For example, there’s a new more intricate timepiece inspired by aviation instruments in the dashboard, while the front passenger will be gazing at a new wave-like pattern that’s composed of 8,108 illuminations.
Rolls-Royce says since the Spectre was launched three years ago, it has emerged as a “compelling canvas” for individualisation, with some clients requesting more than 20 bespoke elements on their cars. Apparently, demand for bespoke commissions on Spectre is surpassed only by those on Phantom.
In response to some of its clients' more ambitious and creative visions for the Spectre, the new Series II introduces a much wider selection of finishes, materials, treatments and exceptionally crafted details.
The company says the material was inspired by the bamboo grove in the Le Jardin des Méditerranées estate on the Côte d'Azur, which neighbours Rolls-Royce founder Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home.
If customers opt for the fabric, putting together the interior can incorporate up to 2.6 million stitches, 10 miles of thread and requires up to 25 total hours to complete. Alternatively, ‘Placed Perforation’ leather is also available in the Spectre Series II where designers can use precision-cut patterns to create unique artworks.
Finally, a new high-gloss Brindled Walnut veneer that combines wood sourced from non-fruiting trees that would ordinarily be burned and eucalyptus fibres from fine-paper production to create a richly layered ‘tiger stripe’ pattern.
New Rolls-Royce Spectre performance and range
Rolls-Royce’s engineers have been busy too, re-calibrating the Spectre’s dual-motor powertrain to unlock more range and performance. So now, the regular model produces 593bhp and 1,015Nm of torque – up from 577bhp and 900Nm before – while the Black Badge delivers 670bhp plus a colossal 1,100Nm of torque.
We don’t believe the 102kWh battery capacity has changed, but updated cell technology means the new Series II can cover up to 390 miles on a single charge – a healthy 18 per cent increase over the first edition. Plus, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up can now take less than half an hour.
The new Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II is likely to cost the same as the original, which started from around £330,000, while the Black Badge will cost about £400,000. However that’s before you start adding those bespoke details clients love so much.
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