Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé vs Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé Discontinued model
Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé

6.7 V12 Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
No longer sold new historical price not confirmed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 338 kW 🔧 720 Nm ⛽ 6.76 km/l
VS
Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II

Spectre Series II Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
Price on request
⚡ 442 kW 🔧 1015 Nm
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Spectre Series II
Fuel Economy Spectre Series II
🛡 Safety Phantom Coupé
📦 Practicality Phantom Coupé
🔑 Ownership Tie

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Phantom Coupé Spectre Series II
Maximum Power 338 kW @ 5350 rpm 442 kW
Maximum Torque 720 Nm @ 3500 rpm 1015 Nm
Engine Size 6749 cc Not Applicable
Claimed Mileage 6.76 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 132 mm -
Boot / Load Bay 395 l 380 l
Airbags 6 -
Kerb Weight 2580 kg 2925 kg
Seating Capacity Not confirmed -
Warranty 4 years, unlimited kilometres 4-year initial vehicle warranty

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Both Phantom Coupé and Spectre Series II are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Spectre Series II +5 pts
Efficiency Spectre Series II +59 pts
Safety Phantom Coupé +24 pts
Practicality Phantom Coupé +2 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Phantom Coupé

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Spectre Series II

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Phantom Coupé

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Spectre Series II

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Phantom Coupé Spectre Series II
Generation Phantom VII two-door Coupé; the archived profile uses the exact Series II World specification listed for South Africa in 2016. Spectre Series II, the 2026 evolution of Rolls-Royce's fully electric super coupe
Facelift History Phantom Series II was introduced in 2012; Phantom Coupé production ended in 2016. Series II was announced on 2 June 2026 with a re-engineered battery, longer range, quicker charging and expanded Bespoke choices
Facelift Launched Since 2012 2026
Facelift Version Ending 2016 Current
Body Style Coupe Coupe
Model Year 2016 2026-present
Production Status discontinued active
Segment Ultra-luxury grand tourer Ultra-luxury electric super coupe
Vehicle Type Passenger car Battery-electric passenger car
Model Introduced Year Not confirmed 2026
Spec Phantom Coupé Spectre Series II
Drivetrain Layout Front-engine, rear-wheel drive Front and rear electric motors
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters No Not Applicable
Gearbox 8-speed automatic / 8HP70 Single-speed reduction gear
Final Drive Ratio 3.154 -
Number of Gears 8 1
Transmission Type 8-speed automatic / 8HP70 Automatic single-speed
Clutch Type Torque converter Not Applicable
Drivetrain RWD All-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Full-time
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles No Not Applicable
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable -
Gearbox Type 8-speed automatic / 8HP70 Single-speed reduction gear
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout Two axles Front- and rear-axle electric motor arrangement
Transmission Speeds 8 1
Gear Shift Type Steering-column automatic selector; no manual mode -
Gear Shift Indicator Not confirmed Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Spectre Series II leads by 6 points

Both Phantom Coupé and Spectre Series II are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 68 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 63% confidence
68
#1 Winner

Spectre Series II

63% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 44
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 47
Practicality 52
Ownership 44
Leads by 6 points
62
#2

Phantom Coupé

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 95 Check Efficiency 31
Performance 95
Efficiency 31
Safety 71
Practicality 54
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Spectre Series II +5 Efficiency Spectre Series II +59 Safety Phantom Coupé +24 Practicality Phantom Coupé +2 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Spectre Series II

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 47/100
Practicality 52/100
Ownership 44/100

Phantom Coupé

Performance 95/100
Efficiency 31/100
Safety 71/100
Practicality 54/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II wins with 68 pts vs 62 pts for Phantom Coupé

In structured scoring, Spectre Series II emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Phantom Coupé may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Spectre Series II edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Phantom Coupé 31 vs Spectre Series II 90. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Phantom Coupé 71, Spectre Series II 47. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Phantom Coupé 44, Spectre Series II 44. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Phantom Coupé 54, Spectre Series II 52. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Phantom Coupé 95, Spectre Series II 100. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Spectre Series II edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Spectre Series II scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Phantom Coupé and Spectre Series II in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Phantom Coupé scores 95 vs 100.

Efficiency: Phantom Coupé scores 31 vs 90.

Safety: Phantom Coupé scores 71 vs 47.

Practicality: Phantom Coupé scores 54 vs 52.

Ownership: Phantom Coupé scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Spectre Series II the advantage in this comparison.