rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

We jump back into the Rolls-Royce Spectre for a ride-along after its latest testing and development progress.

It’s the silence that grabs you. Under hard acceleration, not even a distant whine can be heard from the electric motor driving the front wheels of the new Rolls-Royce Spectre. We’re approaching 130km/h and there’s a merest sensation of motion from somewhere beneath us, and a faint whoosh from somewhere around the A-pillar. It’s almost unnerving.

Jörg Wunder, the engineer leading the project and the man driving us around the Miramas test track in southern France, is pleased, but not satisfied. He acknowledges the wind rush: “It’s a seal in the door frame,” he says. “We have improvements already identified, and we’re going to roll them into the next series of upgrades.”

rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

The sensation of motion, meanwhile, is there on purpose; it is, in effect, the noise designed to disguise the absence of noise. Rolls-Royce engineers have created channels where air can flow between the battery pack and the sills, allowing a controlled amount of ‘motion sensation’ to be generated. It’s inaudible when you’re pulling away; at higher speeds, it could well be the only thing preventing the person at the wheel from having no sense of speed at all.

We’ve come to Miramas to get an early taste of the Spectre, and you can tell from the pictures here that it is still a work in progress. The car has not yet been revealed in full (though potential customers have been shown a mock-up at Rolls’s Goodwood HQ), and as we join the engineers, Rolls’s first production EV is still only around 40 per cent of the way along its journey from the first engineering mule to the assembly line. Just 38 Spectres exist and they’re all in use, helping a push towards Rolls-Royce’s stated goal of 2.5 million kilometres of testing.

Each of the cars has a specific role – an area where its progress is more focused, such as powertrain, safety, or chassis. The vehicle assigned to us today, the 11th prototype made, is devoted to durability, so while its software is up to date, some of the hardware is ready for replacement. You could call it a bit creaky – except that it isn’t.

rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

Rolls sends cars to this region for a few reasons – but not, it transpires, the 40-degree climate. Genuine hot-weather testing takes place in Death Valley or South Africa, but Provence appeals because of the consistency offered by the test track. More important still are the spidery ribbons of asphalt beyond of the facility’s concrete walls – a “library of evaluation roads”, according to Rolls-Royce’s Director of Engineering Mihiar Ayoubi. They are key routes for matching where clients like to drive their cars, and their surfaces are far less polished and predictable than those at Miramas – so making any model work on them is seen as a key achievement.

We’re not being told too many specifics today – partly because Rolls-Royce wants to keep some of its powder dry, but also because some of the details aren’t even defined yet. However, we know that Spectre sits on a new bespoke architecture, and that its construction has an overall torsional rigidity that is more than 30 per cent greater than that of the Ghost. The new EV’s battery will weigh 700kg on its own, and it will be the largest in the BMW Group, so that means it has to have more than the 105kWh usable capacity of the iX SUV.

The car is four-wheel drive, and its coupé shape delivers a drag coefficient of 0.25. It sits on 23-inch wheels, the largest ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce and the biggest on any coupé since the Bugatti Royale back in 1926. The alloys on the prototype are chosen for consistency – they allow the engineers to then experiment with tyres and accurately document changes – and Wunder says they’re still experimenting with the rubber, playing with the compromises in ride quality, noise, grip and efficiency.

rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

With the Spectre parked up in front of us under the baking Miramas sun, we’re able to take a good look at what these numbers mean in the metal. This is an imposing four-seater coupé – bigger inside, apparently, than the Wraith – with a short front overhang and an enormous fastback deck that seems to go on forever. The car’s wrap cloaks the details so while we can glimpse core Rolls design cues in the headlights and grille, the finer elements – how they might be different to reflect the car’s zero-emissions powertrain – are still unclear. Even so, the sheer scale of the thing – and the aforementioned battery capacity – makes us wonder about its weight; it must surely be well north of 2.5 tonnes.

Ayoubi and David Monks, Spectre’s Production Project Leader, just smile in polite refusal when we ask them for further info on this. But we do glean a few of the ways in which they aim to make Spectre a Rolls-Royce first, and an EV second. Monks is obsessed with core elements like brake pedal feel, that always-tricky transition from energy regeneration to regular discs and pads. He says they’ve found a solution whereby hydraulic pressure is used initially, then fed off to a reservoir to allow as much energy to be harvested as possible. This, he argues, will help clients to drive their cars with the smoothness befitting of the brand.

rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

Spectre won’t have multiple settings for brake energy recuperation, a traditional EV feature. Instead, the car will use multiple parameters – everything from GPS data on the road type to the radar looking at the traffic ahead – and constantly adjust the aggression of its regen accordingly. “We don’t think the clients would want to have to flick between settings for this,” Monks says, “and we’re optimistic that they won’t really notice much change between those situations. The overall goal is to not give them any nasty surprises.” A single-pedal mode will be included, though, and accessed via the steering-column stalk that’s normally used to force the combustion-engined models into first gear.

The overriding view of our brief track ride is that whatever the Spectre does weigh, it does a good job of disguising it. There’s commendable pick-up from a standstill and plenty of shove mid-corner. We’re not talking the kidney-squeezing force of a Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model S in their respective performance modes – but suffice it to say that the Spectre already feels well on the way to delivering that old Rolls-Royce mantra of effortless pace.

Provence is sizzling by the time we jump in alongside Wunder for some afternoon kays on country roads. Our starting point is relatively remote, with only the occasional erratically driven Citroen van for comfort – well, that and several BMW prototypes parked up in shady laybys.

With the rear-hinged door open, we slide into the seat, noticing that the floor is raised only very slightly and that even with acres of black fabric draped over the dashboard, the overall construction makes you feel cocooned in the cabin. As we set off, Wunder remembers well the first time that he sat in a Spectre prototype – a car that, ultimately, now shoulders the long-term ambitions of this company. “It was an emotional moment,” he recalls. “Pressing the start button and then not hearing anything – when even with the V12, there is something – just made me realise how well suited this all is to the brand.”

rolls-royce spectre prototype ride-along review

Our progress is much slower here than at Miramas – more in tune, you might say, with everyday use. Again, the Spectre feels freakishly refined, and size notwithstanding, it looks relaxing to drive. It even corners surprisingly flat – a trait that we’d also noticed on the test track – although all of the engineers seem convinced that this car remains a teeny bit too firm. Wunder is confident that a forthcoming change of damper spec will move #11 closer to the ‘magic carpet ride’, though from the passenger seat, it feels tantalisingly close to it already.

Some of the stats involved in this car are staggering. Key parts of the Spectre’s hardware are given enough independence and processing power to make decisions on their own, to help speed up reactions. Yet these domains also report into a central software set-up, and interact with each other when they’re required – such as, for example, dynamic control systems and safety.

All told, there are 1000 functions and 25,000 sub-functions across the vehicle, and more than 140,000 opportunities for these to send or receive data – around three times the figure of any previous Rolls. Small wonder that Monks says his previous data logger set-up proved inadequate for this project. “We’re talking terrabytes of data,” he tells us. “Data loggers had been getting smaller over the past decade; now we’ve had to go up in size again, just to get enough processing power and storage capacity.”

More than a million kilometres of testing still remain before the first Spectre will roll down the line at Goodwood. But the insistence of people like Wunder that the car is currently good but not perfect – and the quest to find that higher level – leave us impressed by not only the commitment to the cause, but also the engineering nous that’s being applied to it. Rolls says Spectre is the most significant car it has introduced since its first vehicle back in 1904; if it continues this path, it could be every bit of it – potentially the purest ever distillation of the company’s values.

John McIlroy

Keyword: Rolls-Royce Spectre Prototype Ride-along Review

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

To Get The First US Rolls-Royce Spectre, Michael Fux Had To Buy Two

The longtime collector took delivery of his first Spectre EV in Miami.

View more: To Get The First US Rolls-Royce Spectre, Michael Fux Had To Buy Two

1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Standard Steel Saloon

The rationalization policy initiated in the late 1930s at Rolls-Royce continued post-WWII, resulting in an increased reliance on externally sourced components rather than in-house manufacturing. A significant development during this period was the introduction of factory bodywork, which catered more to owner-drivers than traditional chauffeurs. This factory body, produced by ...

View more: 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Standard Steel Saloon

1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Becomes 640-HP Retromod For SEMA

Ringbrothers also brings 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible and 1969 Dodge Charger restomods to the show.

View more: 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Becomes 640-HP Retromod For SEMA

Urban Automotive Brings Bespoke Range Rover & Rolls-Royce Ghost to SEMA

The team at Urban Automotive have brought their latest and greatest pair of bespoke British menaces to SEMA in Las Vegas, introducing the world to their blacked-out takes on the Rand Rover and Rolls-Royce Ghost. Urban Automotive’s showcase at SEMA is designed to show North American buyers what the British ...

View more: Urban Automotive Brings Bespoke Range Rover & Rolls-Royce Ghost to SEMA

1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Flying Spur Saloon

This Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III, a left-hand drive model, showcases the exquisite ‘Flying Spur’ four-door coachwork designed by H J Mulliner. Originally featured on the Bentley Continental in 1957, it made its debut on a Rolls-Royce chassis shortly after the introduction of the Silver Cloud III in 1962. Notably, the ...

View more: 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Flying Spur Saloon

Rolls-Royce Made 30 Attempts To Paint This Bespoke Cullinan

But eventually, it achieved the perfect result and tested the paint under the Middle Eastern sun.

View more: Rolls-Royce Made 30 Attempts To Paint This Bespoke Cullinan

1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Drophead Coupe

The rationalization policy initiated in the late 1930s at Rolls-Royce continued post-World War II. During this period, the company opted to procure more components externally rather than manufacturing them in-house. For the first time, they introduced factory bodywork, which catered better to owner-drivers rather than chauffeurs. This ‘standard steel’ body, ...

View more: 1952 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Drophead Coupe

Top Fascinating Rolls-Royce Cars

1. Phantom Solid Gold, 2. Rolls-Royce 10hp, 3. Hyperion Pininfarina, 4. Ghost Fenice Milano, 5. Phantom “Year of the Dragon edition”, 6. Phantom Mansory Conquistador, 7. Phantom Drophead Coupe, 8. Phantom Hearse B12, 9. Phantom, 10. Phantom Coupe. Rolls Royce is one of the leading luxury car brands. It started ...

View more: Top Fascinating Rolls-Royce Cars

Rolls-Royce’s Ghost Ékleipsis is an Eclipse Inspired Limited Edition

Best-selling car from every brand in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Reveals The Black Badge Ghost Ekleipsis

Rolls-Royce Ghost Gets Animated Headliner For Stellar Solar Eclipse Tribute

New Rolls-Royce Teaser Suggests A Bespoke Ghost Will Debut Tomorrow

Rolls-Royce CEO Retires, Chris Brownridge Named New Boss

At $60,000, Is This 1983 Rolls-Royce Camargue A Stately Steal?

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Regent Convertible Coupé

One-Of-One Rolls-Royce Phantom Inspired By Italian Villages

One-Off Rolls-Royce Phantom Takes Inspiration From Italian Fishing Villages

1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly Roadster

Rolls-royce Silver Dawn (1951)

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel