First Drive: Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge Spectre provides comfort and performance in equal measure

What is it?

The Spectre inspired quite the commotion as the first electric Rolls-Royce when it first arrived back in 2022. It quickly became clear that electric power was a good fit for a big, luxurious Rolls-Royce, too. A lack of vibration made the in-car experience even more refined, while the instant delivery of torque gave the Spectre the kind of surging performance that you’d expect from one of this brand’s cars.

How do you move forward from there, though? Well, if you’re Rolls-Royce, it’s with this – the Black Badge Spectre. It’s an even more potent version of the firm’s sole EV, which should deliver its performance without diminishing that all-encompassing luxury. We’ve been trying it out.

What’s new?

Rolls-Royce says that the Black Badge Spectre was the result of customer feedback, with owners requesting a punchier version of this electric vehicle. The Goodwood-based brand has responded – and then some – and what you see before you is now the brand’s most powerful vehicle to date, with that title coming through a variety of performance upgrades that we’ll check out in more detail shortly.

Mirroring a theme used on other Black Badge models, the Spectre has a slightly more ‘undercover’ look compared with ‘standard’ cars, with much of the car’s traditionally silver ‘brightwork’ given a dark finish instead. Even the famous Spirit of Ecstasy has a darker shade to it.

What’s under the bonnet?

As before, the Spectre uses a twin electric motor setup with one set on each axle. However, while the regular Spectre produces a still-impressive 577bhp, the Black Badge lifts this to an impressive 650bhp. Torque is equally mesmerising at 1,075Nm, with a new ‘Infinity Mode’ – accessed via a button on the steering wheel – unlocking the full potential of the motors and those maximum outputs.

Because of these figures, the Black Badge Spectre will manage 0-60mph in just 4.1 seconds before heading onwards to a top speed of 155mph. Range isn’t much of a focus for an EV like this, but Rolls-Royce claims that you should get 329 miles per charge. However, drive the Black Badge to its full extremes and it’s unlikely that you’ll reach that claimed figure.

What’s it like to drive?

It’s quite an odd sensation to have supercar-rivalling pace at your disposal in something as large and heavy as the Rolls-Royce Spectre. The good news is that the throttle has been calibrated to the usual Rolls-Royce specification, which means there’s no fierceness to the way this car accelerates. It simply swells forward, breezing forward on a seemingly endless tide of torque and power. It certainly comes in handy for overtaking.

You can make use of ‘Spirited Mode’ – Rolls-Royce-speak for launch control – and the Black Badge Spectre will unleash everything it has to offer, but, in truth, it doesn’t feel like the car for that. It’s far more pleasant to relish the extra torque you have to use while relaxing into the Spectre’s elegantly smooth ride and impressive quiet. Sometimes you do need to sit and appreciate just how silent this car is, no matter the speed you’re travelling at.

How does it look?

The Spectre, in our eyes, did a great job of translating the Rolls-Royce design ethos into a more modern package and all of that has been retained for the Black Badge. As mentioned, there’s a variety of darkened elements used across the car for a more understated appearance but, let’s be honest, it’s unlikely that anyone will miss the Spectre wherever it goes.

As is the case with all Rolls-Royce models, there’s a near-endless combination of colours and trims to choose from, so you’re able to make your Black Badge Spectre just as you’d like it. This high-performance model is also available with new 23-inch forged aluminium wheels in a Black Badge-specific design.

What’s it like inside?

Swing open the huge rear-hinged doors and you’ll access one of the most luxurious interiors available from any car today. From the deep-pile carpets to the waxy, high-end leather, nearly everything you interact with in the Black Badge Spectre is tip-top in quality. Only the indicator stalks let the side down; given that you interact with them every time you use the car, they feel remarkably flimsy.

Space for those in the back is good, though there’s a central control panel where you’d usually expect a middle seat to be. At 380 litres, the Spectre’s boot isn’t a bad size and provides enough room for a number of bags or items. However, for context, it’s less than you’ll get in a Vauxhall Astra.

What’s the spec like?

There’s no confirmed price for the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre, but you can estimate it somewhere in the region of £385,000, making it an exceptionally expensive proposition. However, for those lucky enough to get the keys to one, there’s plenty included. The large infotainment system comes straight from previous-generation BMW models, but it’s initiative and easy to access thanks to a rotary controller, while the steering wheel has a good number of functions on it too.

More than anything, the cost of the Spectre goes into its hand-built nature. From the smell of the car to the touch of the materials, each part of it feels meticulously made – which is just what people expect from a Rolls-Royce.

Verdict

You could argue that the Spectre didn’t really need much more power. It was already sublimely damped and offered the high-end finish that anything with a Rolls-Royce badge on the nose should. However, with the Black Badge, Rolls-Royce has added an extra layer to the Spectre’s appeal while still retaining that all-important refinement.

The biggest question here now is that if you’re looking to buy a Spectre, what reason would you have not to choose the Black Badge?