Inextricably eerie, the Spectre would emerge out of the mist on the uncharacteristically overcast day of its driving impressions, not only as the first electric car from Rolls-Royce but to prove a ghost from the past right.
It was only fitting that the cloudy and wet weather conditions during the clandestine testing session of the all-electric, all-new Rolls-Royce Spectre mimicked that of the English climate. Affixed with the Deutschland symbol on the bottom left of the European numberplate, the only real reminder that this was still summertime splendour in South Africa was the warm, humid air paired with an occasional local accent.
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Upping the ante, heat was what Rolls-Royce seeked on local soil for their latest creation. After a stint in the -40˚C temperatures at a specialist facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, the new model would have to survive the spectacular Augrabies falls region located in the hot and dry Northern Cape with the mercury signalling the opposite of the previous snowy conditions. Thereafter, it would find refuge in the comfy confines of the extravagant Cape Winelands.
Accompanied by breathtaking press photos in the midst of an electrical thunderstorm, the surreptitious and exclusive presentation yielded the official performance statistics ahead of the drive. Admittedly, my mind began to wander. Would the Spectre live up to a prophecy Rolls-Royce co-founder, Charles Rolls, made in early 1900 stating vehicles bearing his name would be perfectly suited to the clean and noiseless form of propulsion?
In a precise string of words with a stern German accent, Jörg Wunder concluded the formalities by stating that he, the project leader for Spectre and Georgina Cox, head of global product communications would accompany us for the brief foray. Time was of the essence. There was a strict schedule we were following and the day’s events had already put us at a delay.
Related: Spectre becomes first EV from Rolls-Royce, retains opulence and luxury
Moving with haste out of the conference centre, I thought it remarkable that the previous testing phase of its 2,5 million km journey had the coupe tour the French Riviera, but our own French corner would be where the first driving impressions of the momentous prototype would be experienced.
Looking aft from the convoy-leading BMW X5 was the Spectre, moving slowly, with dignity and grace. Out of the hillside wine estate we ventured, with manoeuvres of dexterity already required within the first few hundred meters to navigate out of the sprawling but narrow private roads and into the heart of the quaint town. In what felt like a presidential parade minus the vexing blue lights, necks craned to glimpse at the irregular sight. Less at the duo of Bavarian SUVs and more excitedly at the subtly opulent Spectre.
Making our way up the steep, misted incline towards the Theewaterskloof Dam, the single-lane route on that particular Saturday morning was host to the occasional slow-moving and cautious motorists. We found a stretch of tarmac with dotted lines in its centre and forward we moved. As “alles klar, alles klar, alles klar” was being pronounced into the two-way radios, I glanced into the rearview mirror to be greeted by the Spectre emerging out of the dense fog in perfect silence as if to prove a ghost from the past right.
For 123 years ago, Charles Rolls made a bold statement on electromobility in creations that would go on to bear his name. “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.” It may have taken longer than envisaged for this to become a reality, but the prophecy, brimmed with gravitas, has finally been fulfilled.
Despite this, the argument of whether electric vehicles in South Africa will ever succeed dawned on me. The topic is nuanced, particularly in our unique scenario. Logically, how can an already strained grid that involuntarily struggles to keep up with demand accept an influx of such power-sapping devices? The reality is, mobility is transitioning into a global future with or without Eskom dragging its feet. One that aims to be more environmentally friendly, where electricity is generated without the need of burning fossil fuels.
That being said, Rolls-Royce, along with almost all other automakers based out of Europe will no longer be powered by internal combustion engines by the close of the decade. Joining the list of elites who are required to denounce sonorous, large displacement motors.
Unlike supercars that begrudgingly adopt the new, silent powertrain, Spectre theoretically should perfectly assimilate into electrification. Summiting the pass along the Theewaterskloof Dam, now was the time to determine if this would really be the case. Under the perfectly, cloud diffused daylight stood the prototype model in a cordoned section adjacent to the road. The Chartreuse paint still shimmering against the contrasting dark hue on the central bodywork. Craned necks once again, this time of farm labourers passing by in bakkies.
The reverse-opening door fully extended with the interior inviting me in with starlight allure… now was the time. Once seated, Jörg in the passenger seat encouraged me to depress the brake pedal before anything else. Adding to the growing party trick list is an automatically closing door when this is done.
Being an EV, there may be an expectation that Spectre compromises on extravagance, but this is certainly not the case from the cabin. Bells and whistles galore, the sleek and silent coupe comes with all of the niceties that its predecessors have boasted. Offered for the first time on a model bearing the double R logo are starlight doors, employing 4 796 softly illuminated lighting ‘stars’ perforated into the material. Unfortunately not available on the prototype but nonetheless, not detracting from any of the existing grandeur either. With the intermittent rain, the trademark concealed umbrella even managed to prove its worth.
It may be a step into a post-opulent era but the Spectre remains a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second. Corporate jargon aside, it is as stately as you’d expect from a creation born out of the Goodwood assembly line. Measuring 2 080 mm wide, 5 453 mm long and paired with a steering wheel on the left-hand side of the cabin, Jörg erred on the side of caution of driving the priceless prototype too close to the centre of the road and into the clutches of oncoming traffic.
Formalities done, the stalk to the right of the steering wheel was finally engaged in D as displayed by the digital cluster. Off we went. Initially sandwiched between the presidential parade of Bavarian SUVs, once some distance was established in the motorcade, effortless acceleration became the name of the game. No matter how seamless an internal combustion engine and its paired gearbox may be, this is far superior. Comfort? Like anything Rolls has done in recent memory courtesy of the “magic carpet ride” suspension, even with the 23-inch rims which are not only the largest ever fitted to a two-door coupé from Rolls-Royce but also the largest ever fitted to a production two-door coupé too.
Within the first kilometre was a stint of straight road before the black tarmac adopted the shape of a strewn ribbon. Enough for a brief moment of evaluation on the next argument an EV naysayer would present. Why sacrifice a large displacement V12 for a battery pack and electric motor? In many scenarios with supercar manufacturers, this is difficult to debate. The sound, the vibrations, the sensations… all add to the allure.
None of that is present in owning and driving a Rolls-Royce. Apart from the occasional but subdued 12-cylinder whine when the taps are fully opened. Silence is key. For once, the argument holds no weight. Linear acceleration, minimal noise and imperceivable vibrations from the drivetrain mean Spectre has achieved true waftablity. Typically with EVs, the lack of noise presents vibrations and unbecoming creaks, even in the more premium segment. Despite breakneck cornering speeds and rapid spurts of acceleration, Spectre presented none, even in its prototype guise.
Related: New Spectre EV enjoying the opulence of the French Riviera
Up until this point, the deceptive 2,9-tonnes had performed superlatively. Enough for me to clarify with both of the knowledgeable passengers if this was really the mass of Spectre. They did, just as the tarmac ahead began twisting and contorting to the supremely beautiful terrain on which it was sculpted. Initially, the hairpin bends and flowing corners were approached with caution. All-wheel-drive and four-wheel steering instilled more and more confidence as the numerical value on the odometer increased.
Admittedly, this may be one of the less comfortable journeys for a passenger in a Rolls-Royce but once slow-moving traffic beckoned on an impassable section of the route, I had an opportunity to fawn over the plush interior.
We approached the famous hairpin bend on our descent back into Franschhoek to the view of dense fog. Fortunately for foreign invitees in days prior, this was the only occasion with unfavourable viewpoint conditions. With 520 km of range, this spirited drive had only vaguely dented the remaining capacity of the battery cell underneath. For day-to-day mobility, electric vehicles are more efficient and more pleasant to live with and Rolls-Royce strongly believes that Spectre will predominantly serve this purpose in sprawling urban hubs rather than a long-distance tourer.
Capitalizing on the BMW Group’s expanding battery-electric technology, Spectre should not be deemed as a reconfigured BMW i7 but rather as a truly unique Rolls-Royce, the first of its kind and a model to prove a ghost of the past right.
