The Black Badge Spectre is the most powerful car ever made by Rolls-Royce, taking advantage of an enhanced twin-motor drivetrain to offer 650bhp, and up to 793lb-ft (1,075Nm) of torque. In addition to the extra 73bhp and 129lb-ft (175Nm), revised dampers reduce squatting under acceleration, while changes to the roll stabilisation system and steering also provide greater stability and feedback to the driver. 

Full power is summoned through the Infinity Mode which can be activated via a button on the steering wheel. This sharpens the throttle response, and changes the style of the digital dials. The latest Black Badge creation becomes the first Rolls-Royce to offer launch control, but in the Spectre it is known as Spirited Mode. When stationary, depressing both pedals prompts the car to deliver its maximum 793lb-ft (1.075Nm) torque, sending the near-three tonne car to 60mph in just 4.1-seconds, an improvement of 0.4-seconds. 

The decision to place peak performance within a pair of powertrain modes was made after engineers investigated anonymised driving data from a handful of Spectre owners. The team discovered that maximum power tends to be used in short bursts, as opposed to prolonged periods, suggesting that the large electric coupé remains a rare sight on track days, even with more than adequate outputs on tap. The success of the Black Badge Ghost, Cullinan, plus the discontinued Wraith and Dawn led to high customer demand for the Spectre to gain the same treatment. In fact, some keen customers took delivery of “clandestine” examples built prior to the high-performance variant’s official unveiling, on the condition of keeping their ownership a secret.

Between the axles, the new Black Badge model uses the same 102kWh battery which returns up to 329 miles of WLTP range on a single charge. Topping up from 10-80% with a DC rapid charger requires 34 minutes at a peak of 195kW, and a full charge at home will take around 16 hours. The average Spectre covers around 4,000 miles per year, meaning 20 charges should be enough for 12 months of motoring.

The bodywork is shared between the “regular” and Black Badge variants, with only subtle differences between the two. The enhanced Spectre wears unique 23” forged alloy wheels which can be two-tone or completely black, while the window and rear light surrounds, side sills, diffuser, bumper inserts, badges, door handles, and the illuminated Pantheon grille are all finished in black.

The options list is beyond extensive for the Black Badge Spectre, with the model introducing a low-level “Waft” coachline to accentuate a character line towards the base of the rear-hinged doors. A coloured backplate for the grille can be selected to compliment or contrast the exterior paintwork, or match the interior theme. Ahead of the passenger, a dashboard fascia containing over 5,500 star-like illuminations can be selected, complete with an illuminated infinity symbol.

Only available for the Black Badge Spectre is a Technical Fibre trim, which sees metal threads laid among layers of carbon fibre to create a 3D-effect. The car can be as expressive or understated as the customer desires, with 44,000 exterior colours to choose from, and the ability to colour-match the upholstery to almost anything.

The most powerful Rolls-Royce ever made is available to configure and order now. Prices aren’t listed on the manufacturer’s website, but the average transaction value of a new motor car from Goodwood is over £400,000, owing to the popularity of the Bespoke customisation programme. With uprated powertrain, steering, and suspension, the Black Badge Spectre adds driver-focused performance to its near-silent skillset.