Future classic: Rolls-Royce Spectre

By Alastair Clements

| 10 Apr 2026

Classic & Sports Car – Future classic: Rolls-Royce Spectre

Electric vehicles don’t so much divide opinion among Classic & Sports Car readers as unify them in opposition, judging by our mailbag.

So ready the tar and feathers, because now the EV grip has taken hold of one of our sacred cows…

Yet few are better suited to electrification than Rolls-Royce, which has spent more than a century trying to replicate the talents of an electric motor in its engines: effortless, instant torque and whispering refinement.

It doesn’t take long behind the huge steering wheel to find that the way this car makes progress is uncanny.

The Rolls-Royce Spectre’s cabin is snug and 6ft-plus drivers will sit close to the headliner, but it’s a magnificent place to be

Turn off the ‘Rolls-Royce Sound’ and it’s eerie, as nearly three tonnes of car gathers pace at an alarming rate in silence, even the echo of your voice absorbed by the rich soft furnishings.

All that weight helps the ride, crushing road imperfections into submission with peerless authority, despite our test car riding on 23in alloys.

Yet it shrugs off any inertia, sweeping up to speed with a sense of occasion without aggression, for all the alacrity of the figures (0-60mph in 4.1 secs; 60-100mph in 5 secs).

The Rolls-Royce Spectre’s interior is full of soft furnishings and rich materials – just remember to clean your shoes before stepping on to the white, deep-pile carpet

At 5475mm long and 2145mm wide, it’s vast for a snug 2+2 and you could be forgiven for expecting it to handle like a boat, but, while you are always aware of its size, the Spectre is remarkably swift cross-country, if the road is wide enough.

Rear-wheel steering aids agility, and you can feel the adaptive air springs and dampers, and active anti-roll bars, working to control its bulk after an initial floatiness.

The steering, so light around town, is responsive and well weighted on the move, and all the controls feel beautifully measured.

The styling cleverly masks those gargantuan dimensions: this is a modern, elegant piece of sculpture, with an exquisite finish.

The Rolls-Royce’s huge 23in wheels don’t look cartoonish on the 5475mm-long Spectre

The cabin is a special place to be, albeit not hugely roomy – if you’re much over 6ft tall, the double-skinned floor (housing the batteries) and deeply padded seats mean you’ll become intimate with the gorgeous ‘night sky’ headliner (a c£15k option).

But this detail delights – not least when you see the odd shooting star streak across the ceiling.

There are also touches for classic fans: the organ-stop vent controls; the light switch panel that is a modern interpretation of a Silver Cloud’s; or the cranked gear selector that feels as if it could have come out of a Shadow.

Then there’s that evocative view down the football pitch of a bonnet to the Spirit of Ecstasy.

It’s no surprise that the 577bhp Rolls-Royce Spectre is swift, but it’s remarkably agile, too

With a real-world range of sub-250 miles, the Spectre doesn’t move the game on, as you might expect for the price (few buyers will get change from £400k), but it imparts an unmatched sense of satisfaction.

It is magnificent, masterful and, most important, makes you feel utterly content.

Who can put a price on that?

Images: Max Edleston

Factfile

Engine two separately excited synchronous electric motors, 120kWh lithium-ion battery; 577bhp; 660lb ft
Transmission single-speed auto, 4WD
0-60mph 4.1 secs
Top speed 155mph
Economy 2.4mpkWh
Price from £332,055

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