Test-Driving The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

The 2024 Spectre only got a two-day test drive in Long Beach, CA, earlier this week, but that was enough to experience a warm bath of utter swank, style and power of the electric supercar.

This two-door coupe is Rolls-Royce’s first fully electric car, offering a seamless blend of their legendary craftsmanship and modern innovation. In some ways, it’s better than a gas-powered model. I’ll tell you why below.

What’s new?

Differences between the 2024 and 2025 versions are minimal, focusing on potential refinements in software updates or additional bespoke options as part of Rolls-Royce's customization services. The core design, performance, and price of the vehicle remain unchanged.

Body

The traditional “coach doors” Rolls uses on their 4-door models - where doors open from front to back - remain on this two-door trim. This may be blasphemy but the sloping shape in the rear reminded me of some of the fastback American cars popular in the late 60s, in a good way.

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The Spectre’s body draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including haute couture, modernist sculpture, and racing yacht design. Its signature grille is sweetly illuminated. The door where you put the hose for the electricity is enormous.

It looks like a million bucks just sitting there - ok, not a million. Just half a million. The loaded price for the Spectre is $578,775. (Base price: $420,000.)

Inside

What else to expect inside but a combination of the finest leather, polished wood and metal accents, all hand-built and meticulously crafted to perfection? One defining characteristic is the Spectre's "Gallery," a design element aiming to turn the dashboard into an art installation.

The Gallery stretches across the entire dashboard and can feature intricate designs, sculptural elements, or even precious materials like gold or diamonds, bro. It's the 5-diamond experience for driver, co-pilot and passengers.

Despite RR's rep for traditional luxury, the Spectre has state-of-the-art technology with a large, curved display in the center console allowing you to program navigation, entertainment and vehicle settings, and there are almost no physical buttons or knobs. All seats in the Spectre, of course, are engineered for supreme comfort with their wide range of adjustments, massage functions, and climate controls.

Customizable ambient lighting can be adjusted to suit the mood of the occupants, although the press materials don't indicate what mood. At its core, the lighting is designed to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere, with LED lights integrated into the cabin's architecture including the door panels, footwells, and headliner with its exquisite light display, visible day or night.

Get in the car with your shoes off and tell occupants to do the same on first entering - the rugs feel divine on your bare feet. There is, of course, much more, but one of the main positive aspects of the car is how many different things you can make it do, or do for you. Each feature, when you take the time to investigate it, is a delight.

Two umbrellas are now hidden in the body forward of the doors, not in the doors themselves as in other Rolls-Royces.

Motor

The Spectre features 576 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. My vehicle arrived with 100% charge but the range showed was only 250 miles. One must take into consideration, though, the sheer might and power of the car, and that it weighs three tons. Charging from 10% to 80% takes just 34 minutes with a 195 kW charger. Rolls-Royce offers a network of concierge services for owners to help with charging if and when you need.

The Drive

Like most electrics, the Spectre is a rocket the moment you press the accelerator. Acceleration? Smooth, powerful, and almost silent, making it feel as though the car glides effortlessly on the road. Yet it never feels aggressive, nor does it urge you to pretend you're on a race track. Bumps and road imperfections don't exist.

Steering is sharp but not overly sporty. The electric drivetrain ensures that the car’s movement is nearly silent. Every drive seemed an escape, and one never wanted to go home. Finally, the electric aspect removes some of the guilt one had when testing past Rolls-Royces such as some of the Ghosts which got as few as 11 MPG.

Dislikes

There weren’t many. The trunk is miniscule. The A-pillar on the passenger side combined with a triangular window and large side mirror made seeing out that side a challenge at intersections.

Safety

The 2024 Spectre is loaded with up-to-the-minute safety equipment including lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and so much more.

Warranty

The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre comes with a healthy warranty package that includes a four-year coverage period with unlimited mileage.

Conclusion: It’s all here, for a price, and it’s all splendid.