That Rolls-Royce says the development of the Spectre is only 25% complete is testament to just how high its standards are for comfort and isolation, as it already has a ride comfort and noise isolation that many a premium saloon would be proud of after just a few short weeks in testing on the road.
We've now the production Rolls-Royce Spectre. Read the full review: Rolls-Royce Spectre review
That much is clear from the passenger seat of Spectre test mule number six, where we’re sat alongside Jörg Wunder, head of projects at Rolls-Royce, for a short drive on some of the icy roads on the outskirts of Arjeplog, on the edge of the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Wunder is happy with progress so far. “It has been a successful season, absolutely,” he says. “The car is good for the early stages, with the right DNA.”
From the passenger seat, that DNA seems to be carried over from any other Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royces are the quietest and most comfortable cars out there; it’s a tick in that box based on this early progress. There is also effortless on-demand torque – something that Wunder delights in demonstrating – and safe, predictable handling, which also seems to be the case here as he calmly steers around the slipperiest of corners, the car feeling confident and stable throughout.
Is there the temptation to dial up the handling of the Spectre, given just how much performance is likely offered by the Spectre’s electric drivetrain and the sophistication of its chassis systems? “It’s a coupé, so we want it to handle, but it needs to be comfortable,” he answers. “Extremely sporty is not for our clients. We need to lean on comfort, we need to make the steering extremely precise and you should feel safe by driving the car, not the car driving you.”
Testing is of course much more than dynamic set-up; it’s about making sure the car’s complex systems work as they should in all conditions and environments. “We have a feeling and prognosis of how it will work in hot conditions as well, but we now need to get there and test it,” says Wunder.
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Considering where most these will end up (ironically somewhere not short of Petrol) perhaps the exterior sound should be something like the Adhan.
"One of the developments still up for discussion in the development of the Spectre is exactly what noise the car will emit on the outside to alert pedestrians to its presence"
"Get out of my way, peasant" in a loud voice playing on a loop.
LOL