► The most powerful Rolls-Royce ever made
► Sharper dynamics and a sportier edge
► Rolls-Royce comfort while adding more playfulness
Barrelling down the straight of the ParcMotor Castellolí, we hit the anchors before whipping the Spectre left. We touch the apex and then we’re out the other side, squeezing on the power, hauling some 2900kg of Coupe up the hill. This isn’t how you’d usually drive a Rolls-Royce – but the Spectre Black Badge is no typical Roller. Goodwood has given its electric Spectre coupe the Black Badge treatment, and it’s emerged as the most powerful motor car Rolls-Royce has ever made.
But does the Spectre Black Badge still feel like a Rolls-Royce? We’ve driven it on both road and track (!) to find out.
At a glance
Pros: Sharper handling, no real decrease in comfort, interior like a stately home
Cons: Makes the standard car feel surplus to requirements
What’s new?
Black Badge is a reaction to Rolls-Royce’s increasingly younger and more subversive consumer base. For that reason, Black Badge models are crafted to make even more of a statement than Goodwood’s usual products – but they benefit from performance upgrades too.
The Black Badge range already includes the Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan – but Rolls-Royce suits say the Black Badge Spectre represents the biggest jump over the standard car yet. Alongside improved performance which we’ll get into later, there’s a sport mode – called Black Badge Infinity mode here – and a Spirited mode, which is essentially Goodwood-speak for launch control.
Exterior tweaks make up the rest of the Black Badge package, and they all combine to make this Rolls-Royce look a little more ominous. Standard chrome is swapped with black chrome, and there are all-new 23-inch wheels which are available in a two-tone or all black finish.
There are more colour options too, including the Vapour Violet colour which is exclusive to this trim. Our test car was finished in a dark Salamanca Blue with a black bonnet and roof, paired with a bold orange interior – a spec fitting for bolder clientele.
What are the specs?
The Spectre Black Badge uses the same beefy 102kWh battery as before, along with a motor on each axle, but power is up from 576bhp to 659bhp and its 0-60mph launch takes 4.1 seconds as opposed to the 4.4 of the standard car. Not bad for something the size and weight of a stately home.
But the key difference is a stiffer, tweaked suspension that’s designed to reduce roll and create a more stable platform. Despite that, Rolls-Royce engineers are adamant the Magic Carpet feel of the standard car is maintained.
Range is manageable 306-329 miles and we averaged 25.6kWh/100km on the road, though Rolls-Royce quotes 22.2 to 23.8kWh/100km. Not that the average Black Badge owner will care about such things: most Spectres are used for short trips share driving duties with a fleet of other incredibly expensive cars. What’s more, Rolls-Royce also works with customers to install charging domestic solutions.
How does it drive?
We drove the Spectre Black Badge on road and track, first driving it on the roads around Barcelona before heading to the track for high-speed testing.
In city-driving it’s hard to differentiate the Black Badge with standard car – but that’s no bad thing. On the roads around the Spanish capital, the Black Badge ha the same nonchalant attitude to bumps and cracks as the base car, floating above the road in a silent bubble. Anything that does make it into the cabin feels like a touch of the lightest turbulence rather than a bump in the tarmac.
Head towards the mountains however and the difference is night and day. Direct the sweeping bonnet into a corner, and the first thing you’ll notice is the heavier, more precise steering. The second is the newfound stability – it stays stoically flat through corners, its tweaked suspension keeping the car level and unruffled.
Braking feel is more predictable, despite the car’s substantial weight. The Black Badge chassis digs in and inspires far more confidence than you’d expect from a car that, from some angles, resembles the Bank of England.
And it’s sportier edge is most obvious in Infinity Mode – engaged by pressing a button on the wheel, which adds some sparkle to the dash and adds an Infinity logo. Steering gains weight, throttle response sharpens and power delivery becomes more urgent – though it’s still more torquey V12 than Tesla. Rolls-Royce would have it no other way. Despite the sheer width of the car, it’s not long before we’re carrying a touch more speed into corners on our way to the circuit.
It’s a similar story on track. Where the standard car would be somewhat trifle-like, folding over itself as the weight transfers, the Black Badge’s bewitched chassis digs in, inspiring far more confidence than a 2900kg car should. Heavier braking also reveals remarkably predictable pedal feel, and although you can feel the sheer weight of the Spectre, it reacts how you’d expect.
The rear-wheel steering, which felt disjointed on the standard Spectre, is far more natural here too. It makes slow-speed manoeuvring easier on the road, but it works well on track.
What about the interior?
Inside this Spectre swaps out standard chrome for black chrome, and the overall effect is a little moodier and aggressive. Our car was finished in a Wotsit or Tikka Masla orange and paired with carbonfibre. We say carbonfibre, but this had an ornate geometric instead of the standard weave you’d expect. This is Roll-Royce doing sporty very much on its own terms. It’s not about weight saving though – look above, and you’ll find the same ‘starry night’ headliner as the standard car.
Fit and finish is nigh on perfect, with a hair’s tolerance throughout the cabin various panels, and the digital screens in the car are responsive and pinsharp. Our route used the native sat-nav though, which felt very primitive for a car this premium.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
The Rolls-Royce Spectre has no real rivals, as there are few cars that promise this much luxury on an electric skateboard. The i7 and EQS could be mentioned in the same sentence, but their price isn’t in the same postcode. The Continental GT Speed is an obvious ICE-powered choice then, but Bentley currently doesn’t sell EVs.
That brings us onto to the standard Spectre, which will face some uncomfortable questions following the release of its new, angrier sibling. The fit and finish is identical, the refinement and ride similar – but the Black Badge is a significantly more interesting car to drive than the standard car. Even with an estimated 20% increase over the standard car, the Black Badge Spectre is the obvious choice. And is price even a thing for Rolls-Royce owners anyhow?
Verdict
The Black Badge Spectre expands the Spectre’s envelope rather than shifting it. It retains the luxurious, wafting character expected from a Rolls-Royce, but adds a sharper, more engaging dynamic edge. But if you drove the standard Spectre and the Black Badge back-to-back, it’s hard to imagine why you’d choose the former. This is a more complete Spectre – just as comfortable, but significantly more fun to drive.