Switching from a twin-turbocharged V12 to an electric powertrain can be tricky. It’s not as simple as removing one and adding another. Tuning, calibration, refinement, NVH, and performance all need to be meticulously tuned to ensure the absolute best experience possible, when designing a new Rolls-Royce. Which is why we’re incredibly interested to see how the new all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre feels, after a century of the brand tuning V12s.
Motor Trend recently had the chance to ride along in the Spectre to provide some first impressions as to how the car feels. More than that, though, MT Editor Basem Wasef describes the Rolls-Royce Spectre as something very different from an electric Wraith replacement. In fact, his closest comparison is the incredibly rare Phantom Coupe. While the Spectre might look Wraith-ish in photos, it’s apparently far more imposing in reality than the Wraith was.
As of now, Rolls-Royce has no specs to provide about the Spectre, as the test mule Motor Trend rode in was apparently only 25 percent complete. So there are no battery size or performance figures. However, Rolls did say that the test mule used in this prototype drive uses four electric motors, a pair of them at each axle. Expect a lot of power.
According to Wasef, the Rolls-Royce Spectre also seems to be surprisingly agile, even if its suspension tuning is still under development. Power is also, obviously, effortless but it feels very much like a Rolls and not a typical EV, which is good. It seems that Rolls has tuned the Spectre to deliver its instant torque in a more linear fashion, rather than instantaneously. Don’t expect any neck-snapping acceleration from the Spectre by design — such a thing would be uncouth in a Rolls.
From what we’re hearing, we’re very excited to see what Rolls-Royce can come up with. Its first-ever EV is going to be an important model for the brand and it seems like it’s off to a good start.
[Source: Motor Trend]
