At one time it might have seemed unthinkable— an all-electric Rolls-Royce? Abandoning the iconic, handcrafted V12 engine—one of the very last in the industry—to rely on a bunch of batteries and a brace of electric motors? Borrowed from the Germans? Sacrilege, sir. Scandalous even.
Indeed, such was the initial reaction in some quarters to the announcement of Spectre, the first-ever all-electric Rolls-Royce, a twodoor “super-coupé” designed as the spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupé, ushering in a brand new era of electrification at the legendary marque—some years earlier than expected. How could an electric car possibly have the same presence, puissance, and pedigree of a proper Rolls-Royce? Wouldn’t a compromise on the order of Lamborghini’s Revuelto, a “V12 hybrid plug-in” or some such, have made more sense? Hedge your bets, old boy. Don’t throw the baby out with the Penhaligon’s-scented bathwater.
When these selfsame critics finally got their hands on one, however, these objections melted away like so much Arctic ice. Rolls-Royce, always a trendsetter in the rarified sphere of ultra-luxury, has ushered in a new era, the next chapter in its century-plus of history; and it’s no accident that Spectre makes its debut for the 120th anniversary of the fortuitous meeting of the Hon. Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. A hundred and twenty years from now, we may well look back on it as the beginning of an epoch termed “The Power of Pure Silence.”
This story is from the November - December 2023 edition of Maxim US.
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This story is from the November - December 2023 edition of Maxim US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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