McLaren 750S vs Rolls-Royce Spectre (bev)

What's the difference?

Like most people in this day and age, I like to consider myself fairly green-minded. I recycle. I canvas bag. One time I even took public transport, despite having a perfectly good car at my disposal.

But most importantly, at least as far as our only planet is concerned, I’ve embraced electrification in the automotive world, confident in the knowledge that, 99 times out of 100, introducing a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric powertrain to the equation improves both the driving experience and your fuel bill.

The one out of that 100? That would be the McLaren 750S — the British brand’s new apex predator, and a vehicle that might just be the marque's last non-electrified series-production supercar ever.

It’s powered by a spectacular twin-turbo V8 engine that contributes to a drive experience so raw, so pure, and so unfiltered, that to sully it with heavy batteries or silent electric motors would just about qualify as a crime against humanity, or at least against the parts of humanity fortunate enough to be able to afford one.

So, is this McLaren 750S the best of the current supercar bunch? Let's find out.

Ask any opinionated car enthusiast why it is that they hate electric cars, and you’re going to hear the same word revving them up - “noise”.

Sure, EVs might be fast, and even the most old-world-loving petrol head (are we going to have to come up with a new term, soon? Power crazed? Amp-head? Copper top?) will grant you that they can be fun to drive, but the argument is that you just can’t love a car as much if it doesn’t make shouty sounds.

But there is one bunch of well-heeled car lovers who will demur on this topic, and for whom the idea of switching a big, stupidly powerful V12 engine for whispering electric motors seems to be no issue at all - Rolls-Royce fans.

They have, allegedly, been knocking down the doors at Goodwood, demanding that Rolls build them an EV, and finally it has arrived, in the stunning shape of the Spectre, and the orders are pouring in. 

We flew to the Napa Valley in California to try it out.