ONLY ONE YEAR AFTER THE FIRST EV TO EVER DON THE SPIRIT OF ECSTASY HIT THE ROAD, ROLLS-ROYCE UPPED THE ANTE WITH THE BLACK BADGE SPECTRE, A MIDNIGHT-CLOAKED VARIANT WITH MORE PUNCH AND POWER THAN ANY ROLLS IN HISTORY
BY ERIK SCHONING
The 2025 Black Badge Spectre is the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever. That bears repeating: the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever. Think of the last century-plus of Rolls that have graced the road, and then take another look at the Black Badge Spectre: this beast bests them all, and it makes it look easy. The icing on the cake is that the Black Badge Spectre is all-electric, meaning its 577 ponies and 664 pound feet of torque don’t require a single drop of gasoline. This is the future, folks, and the future is fast.
Rolls-Royce describes the blacked-out variant as the Spectre’s “alter ego, amplified.” The main body is preserved, as is its fastback coupe silhouette. (Rolls-Royce has been releasing “Black Badge” upgrades on its signature vehicles for nearly a decade.) The edits here are meaningful yet subtle. As with all previous Black Badge models, the mirror-polished brightwork is presented in a signature dark finish, including the grille, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurehead, and the double-R badge. You’ll also find the addition of sporty five-spoke forged aluminum wheels, a noted departure from the brand’s more reserved aesthetic. Even the signature Vapor Violet paint finish imparts a subversive, noir feeling. The original Spectre is a superhero in its own right, but you can think of the Black Badge as the Batman to the Spectre’s Bruce Wayne: bigger, badder, and cloaked in black.
That power is accessed through a new Infinity Driving Mode, conveniently accessed with a button on the steering wheel. Press it, and get ready for the full 486 kW of raw power that the Black Badge Spectre can deliver. (In a cool theatrical touch, the instrument dials become animated upon entering Infinity Mode, as if the vehicle itself were coming alive.) There’s also Spirited Mode, inspired by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; from a standstill, if both brake and throttle are depressed at the same time and held, the car will give a visual response. Release the brake, and hold on as the vehicle takes off from 0-60 in a stunning 4.1 seconds.
In addition to the power on tap, pilots will notice a delicate sense of control, thanks to the dual-motor four-wheel drive setup, suspension electronics, and finely tuned dampers and brakes. This is a vehicle designed to fuel the rebellious spirit, but fine details like increased steering weight ensure the driver is always in control. After all, despite the impressive power and ferocity of the Black Badge Spectre, this is still a Rolls-Royce. Luxury, of course, will never be upstaged.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Paramus
331 Route 4, Paramus 201.335.6167 /