Rolls Royce Black Badge Spectre: could it be a little more?

It‘s a bit like the butcher who asks, can it be a little more? The Black Badge Specter might be tempting if you’re in for a fully electric Rolls Royce: a four-figure torque output (1075 Nm), with a record 485 kW (659 hp) of power, makes it the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history.

Unlike the other British luxury icon, Bentley, Rolls-Royce was never fanatical about performance figures. Still, while the fully electric ‘basic’ Spectre with dual motors is nothing like a snail with its standard 577 horsepower, the Black Badge gets 73 more. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds.

Launch-control system

Rolls Royce has given its high-performance models the Black Badge nametag for nearly a decade, but the Spectre is the first EV to get the title. To unleash its full potential, you’ll have to activate it with a single button on the steering wheel. Rolls says its ‘Infinity Mode’ then unlocks the full 485 kW of raw power, sharpening the throttle and delivering formidable force.

It also comes with the ‘Spirited’ drive mode, which acts as a launch-control system and is activated by pressing the brake and throttle entirely at a standstill until the car gives the sign it’s ready. Now, you can unleash all horses, unlocking a whopping 1075 Nm of torque.

Moving this sleek but heavy car comes at a price: its electric consumption is 23.8-22.2 kWh/100km, and its electric range is 493 to 530 km (WLTP).

Fine-tuning with client data

But Rolls Royce means comfort and luxury in the first place. The company worked with a select group of buyers who had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to fine-tune the suspension, preventing extensive body rolls when cornering, reducing squat and dive under acceleration and deceleration, and adjusting the steering feel. On top of that, anonymized driving data of hundreds of thousands of miles from Black Badge clients was used.

Like every Rolls, you can customize this one to your liking (and wallet). Still, the Black Badge Spectre stands out with its black-chrome exterior trim — including the surround of the grille and the Spirit of Ecstasy on top of it, black door handles, and the five-spoke forged aluminum 23-inch wheels in a choice of solid black or two-tone polished black.

You can paint it in any of the 44,000 colors of the company’s color palette, but a new one is ‘Vapour Violet.’ Rolls-Royce says this paint finish is a deep black violet inspired by the neon ambiance of the 1980s and 1990s club culture, and it is a celebrated reference among many Black Badge clients.

Illuminated Fascia

Inside, expect the ultimate luxury with a Black Badge flavor. The company depicts it as a rebellious character. “The unique pattern on the Illuminated Fascia, which is an abstract expression of the Spirit of Ecstasy, now incorporates the Infinity symbol used across the wider Black Badge family.”

“A statement of infinite power, the emblem once marked historical water-speed records and is a hallmark trusted by adrenaline pioneers. The fascia comprises over 5,500 ‘stars’ of varying proportions and intensity, set in a Piano Black sky.”

Black Badge Spectre’s instrument dials can be curated with five color themes: Vivid Grellow, Neon Nights, Cyan Fire, Ultraviolet, and Synth Wave.

Part of a seven-car garage

Prices are nowhere to be found on the official press release, as they don’t matter for this type of client. Rolls says a Spectre is typically a client’s second Rolls-Royce and forms part of a seven-car garage, allowing them to select a motor car to suit every occasion. Yet, despite its exclusivity, Spectre is being driven extensively.

As the ‘ordinary’ Spectre already lists for $420,000 (€402,500), this one could easily break the half-million barrier, depending on the options.