Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PressClub · Article.
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE: THE ROLLS-ROYCE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
04.07.2023 Press Kit
Spectre is the Rolls-Royce that changes everything – the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, ushering in the marque’s bold new all-electric future. Crucially, it is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second: no concessions or compromises in terms of interior space, comfort, performance or ride quality have been made– indeed, all have been refined and augmented by the car’s underpinning architecture and engineering.
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Georgina Cox
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
This article in other PressClubs
This Press Kit provides an overview of Spectre, its design
philosophy and position within the Rolls-Royce product portfolio.
The original launch press release is available on
Press Club
, where you can also find pre-launch information about
Rolls-Royce’s electric experimental models and heritage.
Background
In 1900, motoring pioneer The Hon Charles Stewart
Rolls made a bold prediction in a magazine article: “The electric car
is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They
should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be
arranged,” he declared. Those words, written four years before his
historic first meeting with Henry Royce, were to prove prophetic; but
it was more than a century later that his vision was finally realised
by the company they co-founded.
In September 2021, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars confirmed it had begun
testing of the first model in its history to be conceived and
engineered from the beginning as an electric car. That testing
programme extended to more than 2.5 million kilometres in every
extreme of terrain and temperature, simulating over 400 years of
normal use. A year later, in October 2022, Spectre was unveiled to the
world: an audacious promise kept, and a monumental technical
undertaking completed.
As the first fully-electric Rolls-Royce ever made, Spectre
proves that battery-electric technology has entirely come of age, and
can be successfully deployed at the very apex of automotive
excellence, luxury and performance. It also represents an epochal
technological and intellectual shift for the marque: by the end of
2030, its entire product portfolio will be fully electric; Rolls-Royce
will never again produce a new model with an internal combustion engine.
Spectre has created an entirely new class of motor car: the
ultra-luxury electric super coupé. The all-electric powertrain takes
the signature Rolls-Royce experience – instant torque, silent running
and the sense of one imperceptible gear – and enhances it for a new
generation of clients. Its ‘Decentralised Intelligence’ system enables
free and direct exchange of information between thousands of
individual vehicle functions, further elevating the marque’s
celebrated ‘magic carpet ride’. And in its contemporary yet timeless
aesthetic, it takes the brand’s design language and Bespoke
capabilities into a new, electric age.
Spectre philosophy and positioning
Spectre is the Rolls-Royce that changes everything –
the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, ushering in the
marque’s bold new all-electric future. Crucially, it is a Rolls-Royce
first and an electric car second: no concessions or compromises in
terms of interior space, comfort, performance or ride quality have
been made– indeed, all have been refined and augmented by the car’s
underpinning architecture and engineering.
A generously proportioned, visually striking two-door fastback,
Spectre is the spiritual successor to the fabled Phantom Coupé. Its
intimate interior provides a perfect canvas for Bespoke
personalisation, complemented by a unique illuminated fascia and the
first Starlight Doors ever specified in a production Rolls-Royce.
No two Spectre clients are exactly alike, but they generally
share a keen appreciation of fine materials and craftsmanship, and a
marked preference for uncluttered, minimalist design free of
ostentation and superfluity. Often younger, self-made and
self-confident people, many Spectre clients embrace contemporary ideas
around sustainability, authenticity, conscientiousness and longevity.
As one of the world’s most desirable luxury goods, Spectre is an
extension of the people who commission it, reflecting their individual
personalities and values, as well as symbolising their achievements.
ENGINEERING
‘Rolls-Royce 3.0’
The first Goodwood-era Rolls-Royce, launched in 2003,
was Phantom. Underpinned by its own Bespoke architecture, this was
Rolls-Royce 1.0. For its successor, the marque created the
‘Architecture of Luxury’ (see below) - an all-aluminium spaceframe
that also provides the foundations for Cullinan and Ghost -
representing Rolls-Royce 2.0. With its fully-electric powertrain and
Decentralised Intelligence, Spectre marks the start of Rolls-Royce
3.0, and a new era for super-luxury motoring.
All-aluminium Architecture of Luxury
Spectre is the fourth series Rolls-Royce to be built
on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which is unique and
proprietary to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In a farsighted move
reminiscent of Charles Rolls’ famous prophecy, it was deliberately
conceived from the outset to accommodate an electric powertrain as and
when the technology became available.
It comprises an all-aluminium spaceframe that is infinitely
scalable and modifiable around four fixed points, one at each corner
of the motor car. This inherent flexibility allows Rolls-Royce to
adjust the bulkhead, floor, crossmembers and sill panels in a way most
appropriate to each individual product.
With Spectre, Rolls-Royce engineers unlocked previously
unexplored potential in the concept. The sophisticated extruded
aluminium sections and integration of the battery into the structure
make Spectre’s spaceframe 30% stiffer than in any previous
Rolls-Royce. The architecture also allowed engineers to place the
floor halfway between the sill structures rather than above or
underneath them.
A channel for wiring and climate control pipework runs between
the battery and the floor, with the battery mounted underneath,
producing a perfectly smooth underfloor profile. This allows a low
seating position, while moving the bulkhead location deepens the
dashboard to create a truly cocooning passenger cabin. This sensation
is amplified by Spectre’s dramatically raked windscreen, which also
contributes to the car’s exceptional aerodynamics (see below).
The battery’s position gives it a highly beneficial secondary
function: fully integrated into the motor car’s architecture, it acts
as 700kg of additional acoustic insulation.
All-electric drivetrain
With Spectre, Rolls-Royce committed to an
uncompromised electric future by specifying an all-electric drivetrain
rather than a hybrid solution. It is fitted with two Separately
Excited Synchronous Motors (SSMs). The front electric motor produces
190kW / 365 Nm, with the rear motor delivering 360kW / 710 Nm. In
performance terms, this equates to an internal combustion engine of
430kW (584 hp) with 900Nm of torque. In terms of acceleration, Spectre
achieves 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds).
In establishing an appropriate range for Spectre, the marque
first engaged with clients, to understand their requirements. The
confirmed range of 530km (329 miles) WLTP goes beyond these
requirements, confirming that Spectre fits perfectly into the
lifestyle of Rolls-Royce clients, who have an average of more than
seven cars in their garage to choose from for any occasion, and who
drive an average of 5,100km in their current Rolls-Royce per year.
Charge time from 10-80% is 34 minutes using a 195 kW (DC) fast
charger: this will also produce sufficient charge for 100km in around
nine minutes.
Spectre is equipped with Active Lane Centring and Adaptive
Cruise Control simultaneously.
Battery
Spectre has a 102kWh lithium-ion battery, made using
cobalt and lithium from strictly controlled sources in Australia,
Morocco and Argentina: the battery cells are produced using 100% green
electricity. It has been extensively tested in temperatures ranging
from -40°C to +50°C: Spectre’s on-board thermal management system
maintains an optimum operating temperature at all times.
Braking Recuperation
Spectre has a braking recuperation function that the
driver can configure by pushing a button marked ‘B’ on the Column
Shifter. By activating ‘Brake Mode’, braking recuperation is
increased, enabling so-called single-pedal driving and even allowing
the car to come to a complete stop if desired. The default setting on
starting is low recuperation, mimicking the automatic driving style of
an internal combustion engine Rolls-Royce.
Digital Engineering
Spectre is the most connected Rolls-Royce in history,
with three times as many sender-receiver signals as any previous
model. Indeed, engineers describe it as ‘Rolls-Royce in ultra-high
definition’ on account of the speed and accuracy of its responses to
road and weather conditions. Each of the car’s thousands of drivetrain
and chassis characteristics were exhaustively tested and refined
during its 2.5-million-kilometre testing programme.
Through a software architecture known as Decentralised
Intelligence, data is processed closer to its source rather than being
handled in its entirety by a single central processing unit. To
achieve this, each of the 141,200 sender-receiver variables has its
own dedicated handmade control; in nearly all cases, several
additional sub-variables account for variations in climate, ground
speed, road type, vehicle status and driving style. This enables the
car to respond more quickly to driver inputs and changing road conditions.
Planar Suspension System
Spectre's suspension is an evolution of the Planar
System originally launched on Ghost. Engineers describe it as ‘an
orchestra of systems’, which combines specially developed hardware and
Spectre’s high-speed processing capabilities to deliver the marque’s
hallmark ‘magic carpet ride’.
Spectre’s 30% greater torsional rigidity negates the need for
the upper wishbone damper used in Ghost. On straight roads, the system
can automatically decouple Spectre’s anti-roll bars, allowing each
wheel to act independently. This prevents the rocking motion that
occurs when one side of a vehicle hits an undulation in the road, and
dramatically reduces high-frequency disturbances caused by smaller,
repeated surface defects.
When the system detects a corner, it recouples the components
and stiffens the damper, and prepares to activate the four-wheel
steering system to ensure effortless entry and exit. During cornering,
individual sensors monitor almost 20 different steering, braking,
power delivery and suspension parameters, and adjust them
automatically to maintain perfect tracking and stability.
SPIRIT – Digital Architecture of Luxury
SPIRIT is a completely redesigned digital
architecture that connects the Spectre owner with their car more
closely than ever before. As well as managing the motor car’s
functions, SPIRIT is seamlessly integrated into the marque’s Whispers
app, allowing owners to interact with their car remotely.
For the first time, clients are able to extend their Bespoke
commission into the digital realm; for example, by selecting the
colour of the instrument dials to complement the car’s interior
palette or exterior finish.
Effortless Doors
At almost 1.5 metres in length, Spectre’s
laser-welded pillarless coach doors are the largest ever fitted to a
Rolls-Royce. Made from 100% aluminium to reduce weight without
compromising rigidity and strength, they are equipped with a specially
developed iteration of the Effortless Doors power-assisted system
specified on every Rolls-Royce from Phantom onwards. As originally
developed for the current Ghost model, Spectre’s Effortless Doors
operate on opening as well as closing.
A single pull of the interior handle opens the door to ‘comfort
position’, allowing the occupant to check for hazards or obstructions.
They then pull and hold the handle to activate full power assistance.
When the door has opened sufficiently, they simply release the handle,
which engages the door brake. The door can be closed automatically by
pushing of a button on the external handle, or manually with power
assistance. On-board longitudinal and transverse sensors, as well as
G-force sensors fitted to each door, allow the same speed of operation
regardless of hill or driveway angles.
In a feature unique to Spectre, the driver’s door closes
automatically when the driver presses the brake pedal.
EXTERIOR
Spectre’s design draws inspiration from worlds far
beyond automotive, including haute couture, modernist sculpture,
nautical design, tailoring and contemporary art. In particular, the
design takes cues from the clarity and precision of line and
intelligent use of reflection in modern racing yacht styling.
Spectre’s Pantheon grille is the widest ever fitted to a
Rolls-Royce. The polished stainless-steel vanes are smooth and
flush-fitting, and softly illuminated with 22 LEDs lighting up the
sandblasted rear surface, creating a subtle three-dimensional
signature at night.
The Spirit of Ecstasy figurine was specially created for
Spectre. With a lower stance and more aerodynamic profile, perfected
over 830 hours of design modelling and wind-tunnel testing, it
contributes to the motor car’s drag coefficient of just 0.25cd, making
Spectre the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever built.
The split headlights have been a signature Rolls-Royce feature
for many years, and are a direct visual reference to Spectre’s
illustrious forebear, Phantom Coupé.
The sharp, vertical bow line draws the eye rearward to Spectre’s
fastback, which is inspired by both classic motor cars and racing
yachts. The seamless roofline contributes significantly to Spectre’s
exceptional aerodynamics.
The lower ‘waft line’ is the visual representation of the fabled
Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet ride’; Spectre’s coachwork gently tucks into
the sill, lightening the surfacing and creating a sense of motion by
reflecting the road passing beneath it, much like the hull of a racing
yacht reflects the water as it cuts through it.
Following the roofline back, the tail lamps are set into the
largest single body panel ever produced for a Rolls-Royce, which
extends from the A-pillar to the luggage compartment. In anticipation
of a variety of Bespoke exterior colour commissions, the rear lamps
are colourless for neutrality.
To match Spectre’s generous proportions, it is the first
production Rolls-Royce two-door coupé to be equipped with 23-inch
wheels in almost 100 years.
INTERIOR
Spectre’s interior contains a wealth of
technologically advanced Bespoke features. For the first time on a
series production Rolls-Royce, these include Starlight Doors, which
incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated ‘stars’. If they wish, customers
can alternatively choose a backdrop of Canadel panelling, hand-crafted
from a range of exquisite wood.
The ethereal, celestial theme continues with Spectre’s
Illuminated Fascia. Developed over the course of two years and more
than 10,000 collective hours, it incorporates the Spectre nameplate
surrounded by a cluster of over 5,500 stars. Located on the passenger
side of the dashboard, the illuminations are completely invisible when
the motor car is not in operation.
Inspired by British tailoring, the all-new front seat design has
lapel sections that can be rendered in contrasting or matching colours
to the main base.
As with all Rolls-Royce motor cars, Spectre’s interior suite
offers clients near-infinite Bespoke possibilities.
THE ROLLS-ROYCE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
Spectre is perfectly in tune with contemporary sensibilities,
while also setting the direction for the future of the marque. As
Charles Rolls himself foresaw, it is the motor car Rolls-Royce has
been driving towards since it was founded – an elevated expression of
effortlessness, power and historical endurance. A Rolls-Royce first
and an electric car second, Spectre has been boldly conceived,
meticulously engineered, exhaustively tested and spectacularly
realised, and represents an unequivocal statement of intent,
signalling to the world what Rolls-Royce stands for now and in the
decades to come.
EXECUTIVE QUOTES
“Spectre possesses all the qualities that have secured the
Rolls-Royce legend. This incredible motor car, conceived from the
very beginning as our first fully-electric model, is silent,
powerful and demonstrates how perfectly Rolls-Royce is suited to
electrification. Spectre’s all-electric powertrain will assure the
marque’s sustained success and relevance while dramatically
increasing the definition of each characteristic that makes a
Rolls-Royce a Rolls-Royce.
“At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, perfection is about more than
making the very best products. It is a culture, an attitude and our
guiding philosophy. Indeed, it is our founding father Sir Henry
Royce who said, ‘strive for perfection in everything you do’.
Spectre has been conceived within this culture. It is perfectly in
tune with the sensibilities of our time. It states the direction for
the future of our marque and perfectly answers a call from the most
discerning individuals in the world to elevate the electric motor
car experience, because Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first and an
electric car second.
“This is the start of a bold new chapter for our marque, our
extraordinary clients and the luxury industry. For this reason, I
believe Spectre is the most perfect product that Rolls-Royce has ever produced.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars
“It is a highlight of my professional life to have developed
Rolls-Royce Spectre, the car which propels Rolls-Royce into its
bold, electric future. Such a remarkable car requires a remarkable
testing programme and I am enormously proud that Spectre has now
completed what has been the most arduous schedule ever conceived for
a Rolls-Royce motor car. Indeed, it is where automotive
manufacturers finish testing that so much of our work begins in
fulfilling the requirements of the super-luxury consumer. This has
been an extraordinary undertaking from a team of dedicated and
highly skilled engineers that span both traditional technical
disciplines and exciting emerging technologies. Rolls-Royce Spectre
brings the future of this great marque into the present.”
Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars
“We have designed Spectre as a true Rolls-Royce, with a strikingly
modern yet timeless aesthetic, which brings our marque’s design
language and Bespoke capabilities into a new, electric era. Working
closely with our engineering colleagues and drawing inspiration from
many spheres, including haute couture, modernist sculpture and
nautical design, we have succeeded in creating a dramatic, highly
emotional super coupé. In particular, the design takes cues from the
clarity and precision of line and intelligent use of reflection in
modern sailboat styling. Within the luxurious and welcoming cabin,
Spectre’s cosseting interior wraps itself around those inside the
car, whilst enchanting Bespoke features surprise and delight,
showcasing the very outstanding skill and artistry of our
world-renowned designers and craftspeople.”
Anders Warming, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no
smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed
charging stations can be arranged.”
The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls, Co-Founder, Rolls-Royce, 1900
- ENDS -
ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE TECHNICAL DATA
DIMENSIONS | |
Number of doors/seats | 2 doors / 4 seats |
Vehicle length | 5475 mm |
Vehicle width (excl mirrors) | 2017 mm |
Vehicle width (incl mirrors) | 2144 mm |
Vehicle height (unladen) | 1573 mm |
Wheelbase | 3210 mm |
Turning circle | 12.7 m |
Kerb weight | 2890 kg |
DRIVING PERFORMANCE | |
Power | 430kW (584 hp) |
Torque | 900Nm |
Acceleration | 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds). |
ELECTRIC MOTORS | |
Number of motors | 2 |
Type of motors | Separately Excited Synchronous Motor (SSM) |
Front motor power | 190kW / 365 Nm |
Rear motor power | 360kW / 710 Nm |
LITHIUM-ION BATTERY | |
Net capacity | 102 kWh |
RANGE AND CHARGING | |
Range | 530km (329 miles) WLTP |
Charging 10-80% 195 kW (DC) max | 34 minutes |
Charging 10-80% 50 kW (DC) | 95 minutes |
Charging 0-100% 22 kW (AC) | 5 hours 30 minutes |
CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION.
WLTP: Power consumption: 2.6 – 2.8 mi/kWh / 23.6 – 22.2 kWh/100km. Electric range 329* mi / 530* km. NEDC: CO2 emissions O g/km. Further information: https://bit.ly/3XtQW7q