That's why the brand will stick to cows. Bulls, more specifically.
Following a trend set by Tesla, most electric vehicles are bucking cow leather in exchange for made-made materials. But the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre isn't “most” EVs. Leather is a key element in any Rolls-Royce vehicle, and the brand isn't ready to throw that out of the window simply because the Spectre doesn't burn gasoline.
“It will come in due course,” said Rolls-Royce Design Director Anders Warming when asked about leather alternatives. “We won't do it until it can feel like a Rolls-Royce.” This philosophy guided the company when building the Spectre. Rolls-Royce dabbled with electric concept cars more than a decade ago but waited until the battery technology reached a point where it would feel up to par with a traditional V12 engine.
For now, though, leather substitutes simply aren't luxurious enough, or, as we like to think of it, vegan leather is too peasant-like.
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As for which materials Rolls-Royce will use to replace leather, that's still a mystery. We threw out some suggestions, like the cashmere interior in the new BMW 7 Series or the wool blend available from Volvo, but Warming seemed reticent about each of them. He even said, “we won't do cashmere because it's in the 7 Series. That might be fine for BMW, but not for Rolls-Royce.”
Sorry to all the vegans out there, but it appears as though Rolls-Royce will continue to use leather for the foreseeable future. That means around eight bulls per car will lose their lives in the pursuit of luxury. On the plus side, the Spectre has some fabulous leather options.
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Rolls-Royce brought an assortment of Spectres to the first drive program to show off an array of exterior colors and interior combinations. We drove a Twilight Purple car with a matching purple and white interior that looked ripped right from Saints Row. There was also a Chartreuse car paired with a three-tone interior (pictured above) featuring Grace White, Chartreuse, and Peony Pink all on one seat. Clients can then select their stitching, seat piping, clock face, and more to match.
The Spectre lets owners be as subtle or as outlandish as they please, and nothing is off limits… except if you don't want leather. We wonder if the same rules apply to those fortunate enough to commission a Coachbuild car.
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Keyword: Non-Leather Interiors Too Peasant-Like For Rolls-Royce