Advances in technology have turned them into rolling computers, and cars stopped being a means of transportation long ago. The added layers of sophistication for comfort, safety and performance have drastically changed the packaging. As a result, automakers are crawling more cables than ever before. By the way, Rolls-Royce has announced that the Specter will include a huge seven kilometers (4.34 miles) of cable harness.
To keep these numbers in perspective, the current Rolls-Royce has only two kilometers (1.2 miles), but will require much more connections than the Specter’s Combustion RR. The Phantom Coupe’s spiritual successor is a match of numbers: 141,200 sender-receiver relationships, 1,000 functions, and more than 25,000 sub-functions. For reference, the flagship Phantom “Cable” has 51,000 sender-receiver relationships, 456 functions and 647 sub-functions.
Compared to an existing Goodwood model, the EV will have 25 times more algorithms to follow. This is a different story in terms of components because V12 will reduce the number of lost parts RR has talked tightly about hardware, not to mention that it will fit into luxurious architectures like existing models.
Riding on optional 23-inch wheels, the Specter is thought to use an adaptation of the dual-motor setup inside the BMW iX M60. The Bavarian performance SUV is tapped at 610 horsepower, with a huge 811 lb-ft (1,100 Nm) near-instant torque. Due to its perfect size and weight, Rolls-Royce’s first EV must require a punchy drivetrain.
Specter will pave the way for Rolls-Royce’s plan to leave the V12 by 2030
In addition to the impressive computing power and powerful motor, the Specter should also have a huge battery. A range of less than 300 miles would be disappointing, so the 105-kWh pack of iX xDrive50 / M60 is an educated guess.
Reaching the end of 2023, the Rolls-Royce Specter brand’s ambition will pave the way for EVs by 2030. MINI will soon follow the turn of the decade, when BMW has no cut-off date for ICE. On the front, we should include ALPINA when talking about the BMW Group brand. Logic tells us that the Buchlow-based company will follow the same roadmap as its parent company.
Source: Rolls-Royce