Top Gear Drives the Rolls-Royce Spectre, Says It's Probably the Best Car in the World

To an outdoor enthusiast, nothing compares to stuff such as the Mercedes G-Class or the Land Rover Defender. Some might say that a great wagon like the Audi RS 6 Avant might do the trick, whereas others would probably argue that the ideal ride needs a rear mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive, and a stick shift in between.

In terms of luxury, Rolls-Royce has always been present on the podium next to Bentley and Mercedes' Maybach division. But to most people, the vehicles born in Goodwood are simply superior to something like a Flying Spur, a Bentayga, an S-Class, or a GLS. And we cannot really argue with that logic because occupants are cocooned from the outside environment, surrounded by plenty of luxury gizmos, and they get to enjoy that magic carpet-like experience.

But does that apply to the first electric Rolls, the Spectre? It still looks instantly recognizable as the sibling to the Ghost, Phantom, and Cullinan. It gets the usual luxury gizmos on the inside, and fortunately, Rolls-Royce hasn't gone for a futuristic and minimalistic cockpit design. Instead, they gave it a traditional one, albeit with a modern twist, and scattered the entire interior with plenty of buttons. The superb ride comfort is still there, and on those ultra-comfortable seats, the occupants will feel very isolated from the outside environment.

As you can expect from a modern-day Rolls-Royce car, the company's engineers and designers paid great attention to detail when they turned it from a simple sketch to a fully-functioning vehicle. It is a true land yacht and the Rolls-Royce of electric vehicles, as there is a huge gap between it and the Mercedes-Maybach EQS. One might think that it lost its appeal alongside that fabulous V12 engine that you could balance a nickel on, but if anything, it has made it even more refined. There is a pair of electric motors delivering a total of 567 hp (575 ps/430 kW) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque.

That power may be on par with previous-generation supercars, but the Rolls-Royce Spectre is a luxury grand tourer. And it makes a big hole in the air. It tips the scales at almost three tons or roughly 6,600 pounds, so it is not a dragster in disguise. Then again, no one expects to see a Rolls-Royce at the drag strip. But that doesn't mean that it will disappoint as far as the straight-line performance is concerned. It takes just under four and a half seconds to hit sixty miles per hour (97 kph), according to the BMW Group-owned firm. As for the total driving range, it is rated at 320 miles (515 km) on a charge.

The range is anything but impressive, but it appears that the Goodwood-based company asked its clients if 320 miles are enough, and they said yes. Thus, the Spectre is not exactly an intercontinental cruiser, as most of its owners have private jets for traveling. After all, you're looking at a car that starts at roughly $400,000 in the United States of America, and it would make for a great comfortable and emission-free ride to the local airfield and a great office on wheels to sign the occasional contract. Factor in a few options, and the price will easily exceed the half-a-million-dollar mark. Plus, you're looking at a waiting list of around two years or so.

Now, unless you didn't pay attention to the title, you know that the positive aspects mentioned above came from Top Gear, which recently had a close encounter of the third kind with the fabulous Rolls-Royce Spectre. The reviewer found it impossible not to use words such as land yacht, magic carpet, and fabulous attention to detail and build quality, comparing it to sailing on a calm pond and using an elevator in a tall building to go up to the observation deck. He also tried to figure out whether the Spectre is the best car in the world, and considering that it doesn't have any direct rivals yet, it obviously sits in a separate and very luxurious league.

Whether it is the best car in the world or not is a delicate topic, but as far as electric vehicles go, the reviewer did say it is the best one yet. That said, it appears that you won't go wrong by choosing the Spectre as your daily driver. So, assuming money would be the least of your concerns, would you get the all-quiet Rolls instead of one powered by the iconic twin-turbo V12 like the Phantom, Ghost, or Cullinan? As cool as it may sound, I probably wouldn't, as I'd get something that angrily sips fossil fuels.