Rolls-Royce Spectre 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 Spectre Discontinued model 2026
Rolls-Royce Spectre in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Spectre

Spectre Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Discontinued model
No longer sold new historical price not confirmed
Discontinued in South Africa: 2026 Derivative served in South Africa: 2024–2026 Discontinued 2026
⚡ 430 kW 🔧 900 Nm
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 Tie
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Spectre
📦 Practicality Spectre
🔑 Ownership Tie

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Spectre Spectre Series II
Maximum Power 430 kW 442 kW
Maximum Torque 900 Nm 1015 Nm
Engine Size Not Applicable Not Applicable
Claimed Mileage Not Applicable Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 146 mm -
Boot / Load Bay 380 l 380 l
Airbags 8 -
Kerb Weight 2890 kg 2925 kg
Seating Capacity Not confirmed -
Warranty 4-year initial vehicle warranty; 15-year unlimited-mileage high-voltage battery warranty 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

Spectre has a slight advantage, but Spectre Series II remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Equal
Safety Spectre +52 pts
Practicality Spectre +3 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Spectre

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Family Usage

Spectre Series II

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Spectre

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

Spectre Series II

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

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 Spectre Spectre Series II
Model Introduced Year 2024 2026
Generation Original Spectre (RR25), the first series-production fully electric Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II, the 2026 evolution of Rolls-Royce's fully electric super coupe
Facelift History Original South African-market Spectre; succeeded in the Johannesburg range by Spectre Series II in 2026 Series II was announced on 2 June 2026 with a re-engineered battery, longer range, quicker charging and expanded Bespoke choices
Facelift Launched Since Original South African version 2026
Facelift Version Ending 2026 Current
Body Style Coupe Coupe
Model Year 2024-2026 2026-present
Production Status discontinued active
Segment Ultra-luxury electric super coupe Ultra-luxury electric super coupe
Vehicle Type Battery-electric passenger car Battery-electric passenger car
Spec Spectre Spectre Series II
Drivetrain Layout Front and rear electric motors Front and rear electric motors
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gearbox Single-speed reduction gear Single-speed reduction gear
Final Drive Ratio 8.77:1 front / 8.77:1 rear -
Number of Gears 1 1
Transmission Type Automatic single-speed Automatic single-speed
Clutch Type Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gear Shift Indicator Not Applicable Not Applicable
Drivetrain Full-time all-wheel drive All-wheel drive
4WD Engagement Full-time 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 Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gearbox Type Single-speed reduction gear Single-speed reduction gear
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Axle Layout Front- and rear-axle electric motor arrangement Front- and rear-axle electric motor arrangement
Transmission Speeds 1 1
Gear Shift Type Column-mounted selector -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Spectre leads by 12 points

Spectre has a slight advantage, but Spectre Series II remains highly competitive.

Winner 80 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 77% confidence
80
#1 Winner

Spectre

77% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 44
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 55
Ownership 44
Leads by 12 points
68
#2

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
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Level Safety Spectre +52 Practicality Spectre +3 Ownership Level

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Spectre

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 55/100
Ownership 44/100

Spectre Series II

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Rolls-Royce Spectre wins with 80 pts vs 68 pts for Spectre Series II

In structured scoring, Spectre emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Spectre Series II 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 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: Spectre 90 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: Spectre 99, 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: Spectre 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: Spectre 55, Spectre Series II 52. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Spectre 100, 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 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Spectre scores 100 vs 100.

Efficiency: Spectre scores 90 vs 90.

Safety: Spectre scores 99 vs 47.

Practicality: Spectre scores 55 vs 52.

Ownership: Spectre scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Spectre the advantage in this comparison.