Final yr was moderately particular for us at The Supercar Weblog. We had been supplied a uncommon likelihood to expertise the Rolls-Royce Spectre, arguably probably the most luxurious EV at the moment in the marketplace. We wish to thank Rolls-Royce North America for this chance.
Mike Cutler (@mhcphotograpy) spent a weekend exploring New York Metropolis and its environment in utmost oppulence, scouting for areas for the Spectre to pose for his digital camera. That is his first-hand account of the magnificent electrical luxurious coupe.
Pinch Me!
This entire expertise was a cheerful accident. Generally you by no means know what sort of automotive journey goes to land in your lap subsequent…and this one undoubtedly skips to the highest.
Earlier this yr, The Supercar Weblog was given a possibility to drive a Rolls Royce Spectre for the weekend. My thoughts instantly began leaping to areas and what would finest suite such an amazing-looking machine, and I ought to point out, a particularly purple machine.
Do your self a favor and take on this superb automotive… I’ve had many minutes to take action, and I contemplate myself so fortunate…however it might very properly be probably the most superb EV one can purchase! No, it doesn’t have 500 mile vary or is an excellent sporty EV, nevertheless it delivers in lots of different areas, and it does so with class and luxurious. There are nonetheless buttons and knobs inside, and a few screens, nevertheless it maintains the everyday cabin Rolls Royce is understood for. Vary sits round 270 miles, however what impressed me probably the most in comparison with my different EV experiences is that the Spectre lived as much as that quantity even with the AC blasting, therapeutic massage seats going, and cruising alongside on the freeway for lengthy distances. This constructive purple Spectre is available in at $540,000…and that features the round $40,000 in choices for the particular paint, matching leather-based inside, the silver hood, the Celestial bundle for the doorways and roof, the wheels, and different tech add-ons.
Street Trippin’
Now let’s get on with the journey! We had been on account of decide up the automotive from the press fleet in New Jersey, and upon arriving, there was no lacking that insane purple. As soon as our pleasure got here down and we shuffled gear into the Spectre, we set off for our first space of areas for the weekend. Fortunately, Mom Nature was type to us and served up some sunny days that weekend. Bear Mountain State Park was our first cease, together with the broader identified space of Harriman State Park… Such a pleasant gem of woods and beautiful roads; I extremely suggest it! Plus, should you get fortunate as we did, the summit highway was open, so our time up there for sundown was simply superb. It took a while to get used to individuals staring on the automotive, and I feel it was undoubtedly the colour that lured individuals in, after which others couldn’t care in any respect… Such is life! These roads had been good to make use of the X4 360 digital camera and the 10-foot pole with suction mount I introduced alongside. That undoubtedly had individuals staring! I did a number of angles from the hood, roof, rear, and aspect. It definitely provides a novel view, and with the flexibility to reframe the shot in submit, due to the 360, I didn’t should concentrate on that within the second.
To The Shore!
With our first day with the Spectre behind us, day two had us going to the Jersey Shore! Our trek down was about an hour and a half, and all alongside the best way, the quantity of people that would wave us down, give a thumbs up, and do double takes was superb. Folks love this automotive, its seems, and the wild coloration. I might fortunately oblige anybody who waved, wished a photograph, or wished to sit down in it – this automotive is for sharing with everybody!
As we arrived in Asbury Park, it was time for our first cost. The Spectre has round 270 miles of vary, and thru my time with them, it undoubtedly lives as much as that as a really environment friendly EV. I personal an ID.4 with a spread of 250 miles, however I really feel it doesn’t reside as much as that normal in sure conditions. The Spectre additionally has a significantly better charging curve than the ID.4 and expenses decently quick given the battery pack measurement.
As soon as juiced up, we hit the boardwalk and located some superb streets and homes to be our backdrop for the morning. These streets are extraordinarily broad, maybe 4 Spectres broad! Asbury had lots to supply us that morning with views and locations to movie. After a fast chew for lunch, we took to the principle drag and headed north, all the best way up the shore so far as we might probably go. This was a seashore and lighthouse space known as Sandy Hook, and it was a very cool space. A mixture of seashore again roads and roads that had been a part of an previous navy base…however nonetheless busy with occasions and other people having fun with the world! We used the previous base options in some pictures and movies, loved a sundown dinner, and snagged a cool spot to catch the solar heading west. This was a kind of areas you see on-line and weren’t actually positive what it might provide you with for content material, however ultimately, it turned out to be an important enterprise! As we waited for sundown to reach, we took a second to have dinner, pizza leftovers from lunch, proper on the entrance of the automotive… soaking in how superb it’s to have this automotive for the weekend, attending to create content material in any respect of those areas I knew about or scouted on-line hoping they’d ship once we bought there. Actually surreal.
The drive again to town was a pleasant likelihood to expertise the automotive at evening. Let’s begin with the ceiling within the automotive – the attractive celestial star present that awaits you and your passengers is a deal with and continues within the Rolls lineup. The headlights are incredible for the driving force. The excessive beams fade up and down steadily, very subtle. The adaptive cruise management and driver help are par for the course… and whenever you activate the driving force help, the display delivers some very cool UI for you as the driving force. The automotive effortlessly glides alongside; it’s the smoothest trip I’ve ever skilled.
Concrete Jungle
Our final day with the Spectre had arrived, and we headed out early to Jersey Metropolis to get some NYC skyline for our video and pictures. That could be a excellent place to get some decrease Manhattan skyline, with lots much less individuals! When you are within the space, take pleasure in Liberty State Park too! After we bought sufficient pictures and movies with the skyline, it was time to dive into the skyline…by the use of the Lincoln Tunnel! Now driving via Manhattan with any automotive is nerve-wracking, however be it a half-million-dollar machine… it provides a complete new layer of nerves. However I discovered myself moderately having fun with it! It maneuvers very properly, and it was simpler than I assumed to roll via one of many busiest cities on the planet. We settled in across the Chelsea space with some good cobble stone streets that basically performed properly with the automotive. Surprisingly sufficient, the road was not that busy that we parked the automotive in the midst of the road for some cool pictures!
After we bought the pictures and movies… we had some individuals come over to take a look at the automotive, once more completely happy to indicate it off and allow them to sit inside. Two of them had been from the Lucid studio proper throughout the road. They had been so excited to see the Spectre in particular person. After some good chit-chat and a tour of the Lucid house, we set off for our second and final cost of the weekend. This charger was positioned close to Occasions Sq., and in accordance with our new Lucid mates, the perfect charger spot within the metropolis – Gravity chargers. No, not associated to Lucid’s new automotive! 🙂
This was a cool valet service station, and whereas the Spectre sipped electrons, we chatted with different homeowners who had been considering Rolls’s first EV. As soon as filled with kilowatts we took the parkway north out of town to return our beloved machine….
…As soon as again on the drop-off location in New Jersey, we unloaded the gear again into my automotive (which felt like an enormous downgrade!) and headed house. Reflecting again on this superb expertise, what we achieved, and the place we went in such a short while of 48 hours… it definitely hits the highest of my automotive adventures.
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