New Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II: more power, more range, more… Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce knows its client base more intimately than your doctor knows you. For example, it knows that owners of the all-electric Spectre – the gorgeous two-door ‘motor car’ we handed an award to – is typically the second Rolls-Royce in a seven-car garage.

It’s also charged almost exclusively at its well-heeled owners’ homes, and most often driven solo “for personal driving enjoyment”, for around 4,000 miles each year. One client in Europe’s clocked up more than 30,000 miles in just two years.

So yes, while it’s only been two years since Rolls-Royce unleashed the Spectre unto the world, its owners clearly wanted more. Welcome then, to the Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II.

And ‘more’ comes in the form of increased range, with RR now claiming up to 390 miles (from 329 in the SI), along with a 14 per cent reduction in charging times. This has been achieved by re-engineering the 102kWh battery that sits betwixt the car’s vast sills.

Speaking of vast, there’s a fair whack of additional torque bundled into the Spectre SII, with a new baseline level of just under 750lb ft (up from 664), and a max of 811lb ft in the Spectre’s ‘Spirited’ drive mode.

As for the Black Badge Spectre SII (pictured below), that once more becomes the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history, with a whopping 592bhp as standard (up from 577bhp), and 671bhp in ‘Infiniti’ mode (up from 650bhp). Torque is a mighty 811lb ft. Yeesh.

Interestingly, new design director Domagoj Dukec – formerly of BMW – hasn’t had to do too much to the exterior of the Spectre. In fact, nothing at all, really, because – says Rolls-Royce – “the super-coupe’s celebrated fastback profile, clean surfacing and split headlamp signature are retained”.

So instead there’s a new colour – ‘Ethereal Blue’, because of course it’d be ethereal – a new set of 23in forged alloys, and new materials, “treatments” and details for the exquisite interior. Indeed, Rolls-Royce Spectre owners apparently request more than 20 bespoke elements in their car, so they’d be delighted by things like the twill interior featuring up to 2.6 million stitches and 10 miles of thread.

Or the ‘Placed Perforation’ leather that includes precision cut patterns into the material to create art. Or the ‘Brindled Walnut’ veneer. Or the panel and clock gallery now spanning the entire width of the fascia. Or the new clock, which takes inspiration from aviation. The Black Badge Spectres get a matt finish across the exterior brightwork, and a new set of wheels with a “subtle sparkle effect”.

“Spectre is a landmark motor car for Rolls-Royce,” said RR boss Chris Brownridge, “conceived by our engineers, designers and craftspeople, informed by our clients and acclaimed the world over.

“It amplifies the qualities our clients value most: silence, effortlessness and abundant power, confirming that Rolls-Royce is perfectly suited to electrification.”

Interestingly, since its 2023 launch, the Spectre has become the second best-selling Rolls-Royce across the globe, and – as we mentioned up top – likely the second RR in a massive garage, and typically driven more by the owner.

You’d imagine the big boy Phantom’s the best-seller, right? Well, sorry, but Rolls-Royce knows its clients better. The Cullinan is now the best-selling Rolls-Royce.