The V-12 is dying. Apart from a few holdouts endeavoring to keep the monstrous motor alive, most companies have downsized or electrified as The Man cracks down on emissions-spewing, fuel-thirsty engines.
Rolls-Royce is one of the few remaining dreamers. Its 6.75-liter V-12 is ubiquitous—a monument to luxury and performance that has somehow stood the test of time in an era of downsizing.
But, not even Rolls-Royce is immune to electrification.
In 2023, the company released the Spectre—a slinky replacement to the discontinued Wraith. But in this case, the Spectre eschewed its iconic V-12 for a massive battery pack and two electric motors. A risk for a brand so synonymous with big engines.
But that risk paid off; the Spectre has been a smash hit. It was the single best-selling Rolls-Royce in Europe last year, and it's even pulling in an entirely new, younger audience.
More than 40 percent of Spectre buyers are brand new to Rolls-Royce, the company recently told The Drive, and those buyers average around 35 years of age. The median age of Rolls-Royce buyers as a whole, meanwhile, has plummeted to 42 years—a far cry from the median of about 60 years old from a decade ago.
Now there's a Black Badge variant, which should only improve those figures. In Rolls-Royce speak, "Black Badge" means "performance." That same nameplate dons the Cullinan and Ghost, giving each model a bit of extra boost and some aggro black accents.
In this case, the Spectre's output jumps from an already impressive 584 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in the standard variant to 659 horsepower and 792 pound-feet of torque on the Black Badge model. Even though it's powered by the same 102.0-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors, that marks an increase of 82 hp and 128 lb-ft.
Thanks to that bit of extra oomph, the Spectre Black Badge races to 60 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds (instead of 4.4 seconds) and onto a top speed of… fast enough (or, electronically limited to 155 miles per hour).
Rolls-Royce also tweaked the dampers to reduce squat under hard acceleration and less body roll in corners. The steering also gets heavier and more feelsome for extra responsiveness.
But it's not just performance that makes the Spectre Black Badge stand out. Hearty 23-inch wheels give it a distinctive stance, while a high-gloss black chrome finish coats nearly all of the exterior trim pieces—including the Spirit of Ecstasy badge on the hood. No, it's not paint.
The interior is rich with carbon-fiber accents alongside, in this case, an absolutely lovely Peony Pink leather—a perfectly shouty hue to match the subtlety of the Tempest Grey exterior. And of course, the signature Starlight Headliner comes standard (as it should on all Rolls-Royce models).
But as the so-called "performance" model of the group, does the Spectre do its Black Badge siblings justice with an electric powertrain? Or does it long for the V-12?
Initially, you might crave the subtle rumble and charming character of a 12-cylinder engine, especially in a beautiful performance coupe such as this. But as I pedal the Spectre Black Badge harder, I’m less interested in what’s under the hood—blasphemous as that may sound—and more impressed with how the electric powertrain performs.
Dipping into the accelerator yields an endless wave of electric torque; a whopping 792 lb-ft shoves me square into the seatback. For something that weighs more than 6,300 pounds, this car is brutally, addictively quick. More so than the Ghost or Cullinan before it.
I work the steering wheel more aggressively as the road gets twistier, and believe it or not, the Spectre Black Badge actually turns—a novel concept. It’s no McLaren, mind you, but this car is far more confidence-inspiring than it has any right to be.
Rolls-Royce tweaked the suspension just enough so that it’s as capable as it is refined. The steering, meanwhile, is light but more responsive. Body roll—well, there’s still plenty of it. But at least it feels more eager to go ‘round corners.
Activate the aptly named "Rolls-Royce Sound," and a subtle futuristic whoosh fills the cabin as you accelerate harder. It’s no V-12 rumble, but it does the job. Even without it, the Spectre Black Badge still bombs down the road, just… more silently.
And for all the carbon fiber within eyeshot, the interior doesn’t go too far on the boy racer accents, either. It’s every bit as comfy and posh as a proper Rolls-Royce. Just a bit quicker.
That, in large part, is why the Spectre Black Badge makes the most sense as an EV. It’s quiet, refined, and comfortable, yet still quick as hell. As history tells us, a Rolls-Royce shouldn’t be shouty. It shouldn’t be loud. Even the V-12 models can be a bit too rumbly at low speeds. How uncouth.
For all the doom and gloom surrounding downsizing and electrification, Rolls-Royce is one of the few luxury brands actually doing it right—V-12 be damned.
