Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce has officially braced electrification and unlike most luxury carmakers began their road to electrification with nothing but SUVs, the most exclusive carmaker of all kicked off electrification with a grand tourer.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

This is Rolls-Royce's first-ever electric vehicle, a grand tourer with a dramatic name called the Spectre. Yes, the first electric car is named after the terrorist organization from the world of 007. Villainous the name is, the Spectre is all about blending with the crowd quietly with its classic Rolls-Royce looks, comfort, and silence with a performance unheard of.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre interior

For a fully electric grand tourer with prices starting at 275,000 GBP but can skyrocket to half a million pounds, the Spectre features the widest Pantheon grille for a production Rolls-Royce road car with individual active shutter panes for aerodynamics. While the sizing is broadly similar to the Wraith, the Spectre's styling is surprisingly dramatic as well as the interior that can be tailor-made according to clients' desires. As expected, it's a four-seater electric coupe, meaning it would be challenging to gain access to the rear seats even with the electric switches to adjust the front seats. Still, you can't complain about the top-notch level of handiwork done to bring out the best of the Spectre inside and out.

The electric powertrain is the hallmark of the Spectre and powering this dramatic grand tourer is a pair of electric motors with one for each axle, making it an all-wheel-drive luxury coupe with 585PS of power and 900Nm of torque. It sprints from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and is electronically limited to 155mph. As for driving range, the Spectre is good for 329 miles on a full charge and it’ll charge from 10-80 per cent in 34 minutes via a 195kW charger.

Despite being an electric car, the Spectre runs on the same bits and bobs as the Cullinan and today's Phantom but with a stiffer chassis because of the integration of the 106kWh battery into the structure as well as the use of extruded aluminium sections. Although not recommended to be thrashed because of its heavy structure, the Spectre is as quiet and as comfortable as a Rolls-Royce should be.

Although villainous by name, because it was named after the terrorist organization from the world of 007, the Spectre is the ultimate personification of silence Rolls-Royce has ever crafted and if you're in the mood for a fancy road trip, consider this. The classic Rolls-Royce styling, handcrafted interior, and electric powertrain are what made the Spectre special, and that is the bottom line.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Mercedes-Benz S-Class 223 vs. All-new Rolls-Royce Ghost

As the whole motoring world's getting more advanced through the years, it seems that drivers nowadays are so getting wasted on the tech rather than driving any way they can. When Mercedes-Benz gave us the brand new S-Class, the whole motoring world was shocked to see that this latest full model change is now capable of taking care of itself rather than taking care of by its driver. Grown-up, huh?

Priced near the hundred thousand euro mark, this ultra-expensive, technologically advanced S-Class pushed the envelope by delivering the most advanced tech offered on a car like this and whether you like it or not, this is the future we all live in now.

First and foremost, let's observe the design situation with the new S-Class and of course, being the supreme leader of the Mercedes-Benz sedan lineup, it's bound to be the pretty one but it looks so well-balanced from top to bottom and it really shows its serious side of its first impression, something that today's BMW 7-Series failed to do so because of the grille issues if you know what I mean.

The interior is the biggest issue of this new model because it now boasts the biggest touch screen fitted on a Mercedes-Benz, taking cues from Tesla of course. With almost no buttons on sight, looks like speedo boys behind the wheel are running scared when they see one because why? They're scared of massive touch screens on the dashboard.

To add more digital salt to the speedo boys' wounds, the new S-Class is fitted with the MBUX user interface including the Alexa-ish "Hey Mercedes" voice function that allows almost anyone to speak with this car much to the annoyance of anyone in the sweet spot. Yes, you can expect lots of annoying conversations about just how wonderful this Alexa-ish tech is, and believe me, your ears come bleeding of this endless blabber.

While the tech is the issue on this new interior, it's still basically nice to live with and if you go for the long-wheelbase variant, this is "out on a limo" in a whole new approach. You'll have plenty of reasons to tell just how fancy you were while sitting at the back of the new S-Class. The premium sound system, the rear-seat entertainment, the controls, the concessions of relaxation, it's everything that makes the ultra-expensive S-Class the supreme leader of the German flagship sedans.

At the start, the new S-Class is powered by a wide range of six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as well as a more powerful 457PS V8 engine with mild-hybrid tech on the S500 variant, all are mated to a 9G-TRONIC gearbox. That's just the start because there will be more to come such as a V12-powered Maybach and a beefed-up AMG version, not to mention the PHEV variants with an all-electric range of 100km.

Apart from the engines, the new S-Class is built to be the most comfortable luxury car that can be used on the road, be it in rear-wheel drive or 4MATIC, but sometimes, it can toy with numerous driving modes and suspension settings with the sportiest setting giving the new S-Class the most dramatic dynamics fit for a premium sedan.

Being the most technologically advanced car in the market, the new S-Class features the most advanced driving tech offered ranging from its ESP dynamic cornering assistance, Steering Assist, DRIVE PILOT, and others. Because it's so advanced, it's capable of performing Level 3 autonomy, which is either good or bad, depending on your STEM study.

The new S-Class, thanks to its tech overload, managed to turn science fiction into science fact and because of its Level 3 autonomy potential, it looks like this premium sedan's ready to take care of itself rather than taking care of its driver, which is rather sad, but because this is a different kind of S-Class the world's facing, looks like someone's one-upped the premium sedan game and it comes from another side of the pond.

This is the all-new Rolls-Royce Ghost. It costs almost three times the price of the new S-Class, this fancied-up BMW 7-Series shooks away its ghastly image from its base in favor of its fancier looks, something more of a baby Phantom by the looks of it.

Yes, the styling may be reminiscent of today's Phantom but the new Ghost is the ultimate expression of luxury because of its very sophisticated suspension system called the Planar, the smooth and juicy 6.75L V12 Twin Turbo engine producing 563hp of power and 850Nm of torque, all-wheel drive as standard, and its handcrafted bodywork that is aged to perfection, just like wines that lasted for over five decades to make it sophisticatedly tasty to the last sip.

Although it was not meant to be taken for granted, the new Ghost is a smooth point-to-point ride a la grand tourer that brings fancy living to a whole new approach for the big shots. Sure, it's got the same high-tech nonsense as most luxury cars adorned, but the tech issue is just a dent to the Ghost's artisanship. It's the motoring equivalent of the legendary Monet painting and whether you take it to the streets of London, Paris, or Tokyo, rest assured that the new Ghost is the culture in motion the Rolls-Royce way.

Which one will you go for? The new S-Class prided itself for its massive gadgetry that could scare speedo boys away but when it comes to fancy living, the new Ghost outshines the S-Class by a long shot. We could learn a lot from them but the rest is up to you.

Photo: Daimler AG/Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Few luxury car makers who didn't made an SUV in the first place have been succumbed to the SUV craze nowadays. Porsche gave us the rather ugly but quick Cayenne, Maserati gave us the Levante, Bentley gave us the Bentayga, and now Rolls-Royce with their first-ever ultra-luxury SUV fit for royalty, or so they say. They called it the Cullinan and this 250,000 Pound behemoth is about as posh as putting Windsor Castle into the woods. So, what's it all about the Cullinan?

2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan

The Cullinan wants to be Rolls-Royce's answer to the Bentley Bentayga and the Range Rover but because of such pricing, there's no argument that the Cullinan is more expensive than the Bentayga, which is more than enough to bleed the eyeballs of high rollers everywhere.

If you think the pricing is more than enough to leave a massive crater on their briefcases full of cold hard cash, that's just a piece of the story because there's more to the Cullinan's story than the heavy pricetag itself, which of course it can get too expensive because each Cullinan is custom-made for customers' preferences. Take a look at the styling. In cars like the Ghost, the Wraith, and the Phantom, they are elegant to look at with the signature Rolls-Royce look on its faces along with the retractable Spirit of Ecstasy ornament on the top but on the Cullinan, it just ruins the way it looks and if it was in the game of The Chase, it would fit for the role of The Beast because this beast is posh and bulky to scare off the 99%, unless you are smart enough to outrun this beast.

2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan interior

While the exterior styling is somewhat "I'm not fat, I'm big-boned", the interior is definitely Rolls-Royce and because the Cullinan is custom-made, the interior can be tailored with various features such as the Viewing Suite on the boot, Partition Glass, Immersive Seating for those who are having an "out on a limo" experience, and many more, giving the Cullinan the same comfortable experience clienteles get from the Phantom or Ghost.

The Cullinan is the only crossover to come with a V12 engine, in the case of a 6.75L Twin Turbo one, at this moment in time and this engine produces 563HP of power and 850Nm of torque, which is somewhat less than the W12 engine from the Bentayga and because it is electronically limited to 155mph, it's pointless to compare it to the Bentayga. 

Shoving off comparisons, the Cullinan is all about luxury rather than performance because while it is essentially an luxury offroad that is almost as good as a Bentayga, even though it's not as good as the Range Rover, the signature Magic Carpet Ride comfort is still here, meaning you can take it anywhere without waking Boss Madam at the back, unless your name starts with Patrick and ends with Polkerson. Quite a joke, right? But the Cullinan has no time for jokes because it is a serious luxury offroader with a hint of swagger to make everyone turn heads for all the wrong reasons. What's even more serious is that apart from its comfort-focused dynamics and performance, the Cullinan comes with a wide array of safety tech that made this luxury offroader feels like it's in charge, not the driver. Crude, but who knows?

The Cullinan isn't the ideal alternative to the Bentayga in terms of performance and the Range Rover in terms of going everywhere and also not the best-looking SUV on the road but in terms of luxury, it possesses quite a swagger high rollers are looking for. They will be flattered if they own one for their own car collection but that's fine for them because the Cullinan is all about making a statement in the same way today's Phantom does with no explanations needed.

Photo: Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Phantom RR11

Ever since the advent of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Goodwood-based luxury car maker had made us the perfect luxury car that can stand out the rest of the crowd with its timeless looks, unmatched luxury, and a V12 engine that packs a noble roar to this magnificent being. Now, with the advent of the all-new Phantom, Rolls-Royce is on a roll by making the premium saloon, which is a favorite for the super wealthy, even better than it was before.

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB

As a car favored by the rich and powerful, the Phantom served very well to be the magnum opus that triggered the power play for all ultra-expensive premium saloons everywhere, and now, here we are, the RR11-spec model and for the all new Phantom RR11, most of the things we love about the are still here while being festooned with new features that will keep the flagship saloon alive and well in this fractured world.

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom interior

2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB interior

Taking a peek on the outside, the classic Phantom lines are still here but on the front and the back, it has the resemblance of its lesser brothers like the Ghost and the Wraith so there's a hierarchy going on around here and this one sits at the top of the Rolls-Royce family tree. On the inside, you are greeted by its hand-made interior design and because the Phantom is handmade and bespoke, there is no definitive price list but I can tell you that their clients will spend half a million pounds for a kitted-out normal Phantom or almost a million for a dialed-up Phantom Executive Wheel Base. That's how bespoke this car is and when you dig deeper through every concession of luxury you might come across such as aircon, electronically adjusted seats, stereo, some entertainment system for the EWB, it's everything what a client wants to have in their Phantom so when they step outside, they'll have that "out on a limo" feeling they will share with the others because they spent most of the time sitting on the new Phantom's sweet spot. Of course, the interior remains one of the Phantom's sweet spots since the beginning but which seat in the back is the sweet spot?

The glorious 6.75L V12 engine has now been added with two turbochargers so that now, it produces 571PS of power and 900Nm of torque. Mated with an 8-speed AT made by the Germans, annoyingly, it does 0-60mph in around the five second mark and top speed normally limited to 155mph. Of course, you might say that its performance is very irrelevant because being Rolls-Royce, it's not meant to be driven by hooligans but it doesn't have to because while it was not meant to be as fun as an AMG Merc, it's still as smooth as sipping a cup of Darjeeling while on the trip to the House of Commons. It's a car fit not just for the Queen or the PM but also for the Tories, the Labour Party men, the UKIPs, every kind of man or woman working for the Parliament we all know about because they can feel relaxed while the paparazzi are very busy flashing their cameras onto you.

Yes, this car is as politically correct as the world we're facing now but being Rolls-Royce, the RR11 Phantom is now packed with a wide array of safety tech that will keep them safe while driving in such a fractured world we're having. Apart from the safety tech, the new Phantom is surprisingly more durable and more lighter than the previous model thanks to their Architecture of Luxury that Rolls-Royce came up with. As for dynamics, the new suspension setup really works rather well with the New Phantom, delivering the "Magic Carpet Ride" promise it deserves for the rich and powerful clients, and having said that, this is becoming the best Phantom ever made.

The new RR11 Phantom delivers that "out on the limo" feeling its clients can't get enough of because of its well-tailored looks and interior that are each of their own and because of its improved dynamics, it's starting to take shape as long as you're not taking a Sunday stroll in places that are too big to squeeze into. It may not be one of the most enjoyable new cars to drive but as an all-rounder, it's all about perfection in every single aspect and like a good celebrity, the new Phantom represents the power and fame its clients deserve and with that, it's becoming a status symbol in its own right.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Forza Horizon 3: Love, Poetry, and Coffee

Now, in a certain episode of The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson and James May are having a nice Italian road trip with their grand tourers, the new Aston Martin DB11 and the Rolls Royce Dawn. Trouble is, their Italian road trip got ruined by Richard Hammond and the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Italy is so like two years ago for me but now that all the cars are here in the Land Down Under, there's no perfect time than settling the scores between love, poetry, and coffee somewhere Down Under.







If you can get to decide which method will you woo a dream lady for Valentines Day, it would be like a choice of love, poetry, and coffee. The DB11 is all about the love that you can do everything for her by any means necessary to win the heart of a woman. The Dawn is all about the poetry that shows how much of a knowledgeable person you really are to please a lady. The Hellcat, meanwhile, is all about the coffee that burns the hearts of lovers sipping a cup of joe in a cafe while having a chat.

Love, poetry, and coffee. These are the choices and by comparison regulations, anything fancy should be kept to a safe place such as their upgrades and their designs. These cars can have them back after this comparison but for now, the fight between opera, art, and donuts will be settled to the Grand Tour Sprint, so specially called because it has the words "Grand Tour" on it as if they're having their Australian stopover for the show or this is what I think it is.

Two grand tourers from Britain and an uninvited guest from America. This will be a very interesting comparison because these three got featured in The Grand Tour and now, I got the chance to compare these three to see which method will I woo a lady for Valentines will be the best. It's either love, poetry, or coffee. It's everyone's game now and now, the battle begins!



After their run at the Grand Tour Sprint, it's time for the results!

2017 Aston Martin DB11 (608HP/516ft-lb/4,134lb/51%/5,204cc/S1 805)- 2:37.057
2015 Rolls Royce Dawn (563HP/575ft-lb/5,644lb/51%/6,593cc/A 715)- 2:45.666
2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat (707HP/650ft-lb/4,438lb/57%/6,166cc/A 766)- 2:36.957

By a shocking result, the 707 horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is a clear winner in this comparison by a second quicker than the DB11!

Which means, if I go for love, I might go for broke to get the girl I want but I could get flunked easily like getting thrown by an Master-level song I'm playing on an certain idol girl app game. If I go for poetry, meanwhile, then my knowledge might bore her for the rest of her life. So, the choice is clear. It's a cup of coffee best served hot for the lovers everywhere. Don't get too much on a cup of joe, okay?

Forza Horizon 3: The Royals

It's been a few years ever since Forza became the first and only racing game to feature Rolls-Royce starting with the Wraith, then followed by the Dawn, its open-top equivalent. With the two Rolls-Royce royalties in Forza Horizon 3 spending their lap on luxury around Down Under, how can anyone indulge with these heavyweight handcrafted royalties that appeals only to the rich and famous? Not everyone can indulge in the splendor feel of the Rolls but are you one of the privileged few who are sedated by the Spirit of Ecstasy?





The Wraith is known to be a step away from being one of the chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royces and destined to be the most exquisite grand tourer that can be driven freely for the driver with big ambitions. Apart from its dramatic artisanship that crafted its signature Rolls-Royce design inside and out, the Wraith is powered by a 6.6L V12 engine that produces 624bhp of power and 800Nm of torque, while mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. It does 0-60mph in four and a half seconds and top speed electronically limited to 155mph.

The Dawn, meanwhile, is known to be the open-top version of the Wraith and while it features the similar artisanship elements from the Wraith, it features an electronically-activated soft-top roof that silently opens or closes in just over 20 seconds at a cruising speed of up to 50kph. Although, it features the same twin-turbo V12 6.6L engine as the Wraith, the Dawn produces 61bhp less than its hardtop equivalent but it's recorded as the most powerful open-top Rolls-Royce to date. While this car is not made to outsmart against its open-top equivalent because it's less powerful and heavier, its elegance in cruising speeds is nothing to be ashamed of and the taste of grand touring with the Dawn is worth the wine and bread best served in the golden platter.

Both the Wraith and Dawn are exquisitely too royal to be playing rough or perhaps they want to join the fun here in the Land Down Under because between you and me, they're taking a leisure break from being pampered on posh European streets like kings and queens and that's why I'm here to give a little twist to these royal visitors.





To spice things up, both the Wraith and Dawn are festooned with Rolls-Royce's Bespoke customization while I handle their workout routine to get themselves ready to race against other heavyweights in the Land Down Under. For the Wraith, it's been fashioned with the Chief Inspector Morse-inspired design courtesy of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke customization process while the Dawn is catered with the Marina look that was last seen from the Pebble Beach Concours a few years ago.

So, while they're wearing Bespoke colors (spoiler alert: I replicated them from Rolls-Royce's Bespoke design), both these royal knights of Goodwood are here to show them that they can battle with pride and prestige, I think...

Time to get the cameras rolling because there's never been a knight's tale untold in the Australian Outback.


So, these Rolls-Royces may not do racing but they sure know how to battle with their pride and prestige as Goodwood's finest and they sure know how to play rough with their full deck of cards at their disposal.

After their stint, these Rolls-Royces wanted to spend some more time here and looks like I'll be keeping in touch with both the Wraith and the Dawn in case I need them but for now, I'm expecting more arrivals later as I'm passing the time here in the Land Down Under.

Forza Motorsport 5: For the first time, a Rolls-Royce!!!

At Forza Motorsport 5, we always love to push the limits with the cars of our dreams. Whether if its American Muscle Cars, Street Tuners, ultra-expensive exotics, hot hatches, we love to play with them and experiment with different tastes, helping us to shift the tides from the opponents. Now, there's a whole new twist that will surely leave them questioning what in the world is that thing doing here...



Hmmm? What's this? Some kind of luxury grand tourer perhaps? Is that a Rolls-Royce?! I don't know but...



Oh my goodness! Do my eyes deceive me? It is a Rolls-Royce! What's a Rolls-Royce doing in a racing game?! For the first time in video game racing history since the advent of racing video games, Rolls-Royce finally stepped into the racing game spotlight after numerous negotiations, starting with the latest Rolls-Royce masterpiece called the Wraith.



Unlike most cars that were assembled by robots, the Wraith is a handcrafted beauty that is truly made by human hands. At the hands of a skilled artisan, the Wraith can be considered a beautiful masterpiece with a golden ratio fit enough to be called "beautiful". On the inside, the seats are well-tailored to suit its customer individuality and I never knew several cows of the world were ritually sacrificed for the good of leather. It's kinda like choosing your favorite Haagen-Dazs flavor at your nearest convenient store but it's not all about that, the Wraith is all about fancy living and its ultra-expensive pricing made it even more exclusive, so exclusive that only a few wealthy people can be part of it.



When it comes to comfort, the Wraith, despite its two-door coupe look, is a proper saloon tailored to be the boss on the road and when you're riding on one of it, the Wraith makes you look special in so many ways. If they see you in one of these, they might think your a politician or a celebrity or a sheikh or something high-profile. It could be the envy of anyone in the world right now...



However, this is Forza Motorsport 5, and I'm investigating why the Wraith was part of the Forza Motorsport 5 car list and how does it perform on the track. The main reason why the Wraith is part of the Forza Motorsport 5 is this...



Combining the trademark premium luxury that most Rolls-Royces adorned with the sheer performance, the Wraith is powered by its 6.6L V12 twin-turbo engine producing 624HP of power output and over 800Nm of torque while mated with a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox. Because this V12 engine packs a devastatingly high torque for a super-heavy premium coupe, even gently pushing the throttle can be somewhat devastating for an unskilled driver but with all that torque and power, the Wraith can be total hooligan for the Brainiacs.



Because of being too heavy and too much on the powerband for its twin-turbo V12 engine, it can be somewhat too difficult to corner even at a low speed but with precision and talent, trying to survive the catastrophic handling of the Wraith is no slouch. If you are enjoying with the Wraith, it can be worth respecting for but if you're driving like an idiot, the Wraith can be a total idiot and it can result into a bigger mess.





After spending the day at the Top Gear Test Track with the Wraith, all I can say is...it's good to have a Rolls-Royce on the video game! After several years of not being in video games for real, looks like various negotiations really made it possible to be part of video game history with the Rolls-Royce Wraith and thanks to the Rolls-Royce Wraith, this ultra-expensive two-door saloon for the rich and famous can be played at Forza Motorsport 5 for the masses.

It may not be a sharp-handling car but for me, the Wraith is by no means one of the most enjoyable cars to drive only on Forza Motorsport 5. Try it!

Platinum Motorsport's Phantom Conquistador

Rolls-Royce Phantom Conquistador
by Platinum Motorsport

Right, some tuning news and this time it's Platinum Motorsport, the guys that brought us that modified Continental GT on FM4 a couple of months ago. They're releasing their latest creation based on the ultra-luxury, ultra-expensive, fun for rappers, Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan fitted with the Mansory Conquistador body kit and a 26 inch Gionelle Santorini wheels. Those rims are huge and this modified version would be a perfect fit for the most notorious drug lord in the East Coast!

If all goes well, they'll be making four of these Phantom Conquistadors.

Scoop: http://www.gtspirit.com/2012/10/20/rolls-royce-phantom-conquistador-by-platinum-motorsport/

Phantom Drophead Coupe BLACK BISON

WALD Rolls-Royce Phantom
Drophead Coupe Black Bison

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe gets the BLACK BISON treatment courtesy of Wald and this eccentric modification features the most parts that made the Phantom Drophead Coupe even more luxurious and perfect for a night cruise in downtown Tokyo.

URL: http://www.wald.co.jp/parts_acce/carrange/rolls_royce/phantom_drophead/phantom_drophead.html