Demand for Rolls-Royce‘s first electric vehicle (EV) – the Spectre – has reportedly been so high the company is considering increasing the production run.
As reported by Automotive News Europe, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said the company still has a few months left to change its production plans for the Spectre.
“The order intake for the Spectre is far better at this moment than we would have expected,” said Mr Müller-Ötvös.
“We have a couple of months to go [before production starts], but if that trend continues then I’m pretty sure we need to adjust our plans.”
We reported in January last year that Rolls-Royce was taking deposits for the Spectre in Australia, though it wouldn’t be drawn into how many it had taken at the time.
Rolls-Royce revealed the Spectre two-door electric coupe last October, and at this stage customer deliveries of the Spectre are expected to commence from the fourth quarter of 2023.
Mr Müller-Ötvös told Automotive News Europe the Spectre would achieve the “same levels” of profitability as the rest of the brand’s vehicles.
The Spectre will be priced between the Cullinan and Phantom, meaning Australians should expect a sticker price of around $800,000.
The Spectre has classic Rolls-Royce proportions. It’s a stately two-door coupe measuring as long as a Mercedes-Maybach S680 limo (5453mm) and featuring rear-opening doors.
The company says the precise tapered lines reference modern yacht design, while there’s a single massive body panel extending from the A-pillar to the luggage compartment. Massive 23-inch wheels come as standard.
Final power, acceleration and range figures are still being refined, but preliminary data shows the Spectre is expected to have a driving range of 520km according to WLTP testing, and offer 430kW and 900Nm outputs.
The expected 0-100km/h time is 4.5 seconds, despite it weighing in at a claimed 2975kg.
Under the imposing body is a variation of the company’s Architecture of Luxury with an all-aluminium spaceframe. The Spectre’s extruded sections and integrated floor battery make it a claimed 30 per cent stiffer than any previous Rolls-Royce.
The company claims it paid for 830 combined hours of design modelling and wind tunnel testing of the Spectre’s bonnet ornament. The final 0.25 coefficient of drag rating makes this the brand’s most aerodynamic car, ever.
The Spectre’s suspension was honed from Sweden to South Africa, but “of particular significance” was the testing on the Côte d’Azur, reflecting where the typical buyer might spend time.
The suspension system delivers a claimed “magic carpet ride” and has party tricks such as decoupling anti-roll bars, dampers that individually stiffen to reduce cornering forces felt from the seat, and four-wheel steering.
Mr Müller-Ötvös told Automotive News Europe since the Spectre was revealed the company has built up an order book that stretches “far” into 2023.
The Spectre will also form as Rolls-Royce’s “third pillar” of sales after the Cullinan SUV and Ghost sedan, according to Mr Müller-Ötvös.
As previously reported, Rolls-Royce is moving away from the V12 engine as it gears up to go all-electric by 2030.
