How One Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Aficionado’s Lifelong Dream Was Realised With The All-Electric Spectre

The recent handover of the first Rolls-Royce Spectre order placed with its Malaysian dealer Quill Automobiles also signalled the culmination of a life-long dream.

For one owner of the new Spectre from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars—the marque’s first modern-era electric vehicle (EV)—being offered an opportunity to purchase it was all it took. At the handover event, the owner (who requested anonymity for this story) remembers that only scant details of the car were communicated at the initial approach 2 years ago. “We just knew that it would be the first new EV from Rolls-Royce,” he says. “We didn’t know what it looked like, what it was called or how much it would be.”

But making the decision to buy was easy, says the owner. “There was no hesitation because we trust the brand,” he says. “Its name and reputation mean that they have had to convince the world over and over again of Rolls-Royce’s status as the best of the best, so I was not concerned at all when making my decision to purchase.”

View more photos of the new Spectre

In the process, he would become the first client of the official and sole Malaysian dealer Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur — to book the new Spectre. Following that, he was also invited to Goodwood, the home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, to view the Spectre, which was embargoed for its impending international media release. There, he added the key flourishes to any worthy Rolls-Royce: elements of bespoke.

View the Spectre from a new perspective

In his version, the car incorporates one of the marque’s more recent and visually unmistakable features: an illuminated Pantheon grille. Already the widest fitted to a Rolls-Royce, the additional LED lighting makes for an especially dramatic and powerful demeanour at night and in underground spaces.

The exterior finish is two-tone, a bright English White with a subtle contrast on the roof and bonnet with a darker White Sands finish. In an elegant touch, the wheel centres are colour-matched to the body.

On his choice of colours, he recalls how Rolls-Royces were one of the rare car models that could be coloured with two tones. “Owning a two-toned automobile is a subtle enjoyment as there are many other Rolls-Royces on the road in a single colour, likely the more competitively priced parallel imports,” he says.

Take a closer look at the finer details of the interior

Upon closer inspection, a third hue is visible—there is just a hint of bolder colour in the form of Turchese, a turquoise that evokes cloudless skies or sparkling Mediterranean seas—that can be found in the hand-painted coachline that runs along the car’s shoulder line, a classic Rolls-Royce touch. A similar but perfectly circular pinstripe can be found tracing the circumference of the wheel centres. This touch of blue is perhaps a nod to the owner’s connection with the sea and his shipping business.

Inside, 4,796 stars illuminate the Starlight Doors, creating a magical atmosphere unique to the Spectre.
Inside, 4,796 stars illuminate the Starlight Doors, creating a magical atmosphere unique to the Spectre.

Inside this Spectre, one finds Starlight Doors, a feature that debuted in this model when it was launched. When activated, thousands of pinpricks of light scintillate like stars, creating a playful but wondrous atmosphere. This is an extension of the marque’s famous Starlight Headliner concept, which is found on the interior roof, enabling this starry atmosphere to cast its twinkle onto its passengers.

Obsidian Ayous open-pore wood paneling complements the navy blue interior, elevated by Seashell accents and Turchese stitching.
Obsidian Ayous open-pore wood paneling complements the navy blue interior, elevated by Seashell accents and Turchese stitching.

The wood panelling is a dark open-pore Obsidian Ayous, complementing the predominantly navy blue colour of the interior. A lighter Seashell colour elevates it all, and Turchese once again makes an appearance—this time for highlights such as the seat lapels, Rolls-Royce monogram on the headrests, and the hand-applied contrast stitching in various places throughout the car, such as on the fascia, along the seats and on the control stalks.

A silver lining for the owner has been in the—and we use this phrase loosely—‘relative affordability’ of the car, approximately RM3 million with specifications. This is due to the EV incentives by the Malaysian government, which exempts completely built-up EVs from full import and duties for four years (from January 2022 to the end of 2025). Although the owner concedes that he has yet to think of exactly where he would drive his Rolls-Royce, he will, at least, have the pleasure of seeing his new Rolls-Royce Spectre added to his burgeoning collection of supercars, including tailor-made and limited-edition Ferraris.

“When I was a boy and still in school, I remember riding in my cousin’s Silver Shadow—this was some 30 years ago,” he says of those lasting first impressions. “So, owning a Rolls-Royce isn’t just about the car—it’s a signpost of my life, to have achieved the unique milestone of becoming an owner of a new Rolls-Royce.”


Rolls-Royce

Photography by Anna-Rina & Cheong Keng Hoe/ Torque Shots

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