What's the difference?
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.
It was always going to happen - an electric version of the BMW 7-Series - but how well does the i7 handle the limousine fundamentals - comfort, power, room and style?
Well, luxury transport has been missing one major component all these years and the i7 has it.
Let me explain...
Personally, I was very much taken with the looks, and the feels, of the new Rolls-Royce Spectre, which delivers everything youโd expect from this brand, and seems to have lost nothing by switching to electric propulsion. The trick, it seems, in turning your brand into an EV one is to have made your cars silent in the first place.
But the real verdict comes from the people hurling their Spectre orders at the company, which has received so many of them itโs being forced to ramp up production. And 40 per cent of pre-orders are from new customers. Honestly, itโs as if they were all just waiting for an EV to drop a million on.
The i7 xDrive60 M Sport is close to the perfect 7 Series. From the comfort of being driven in it, to the ease of driving it, even for hours on end.
The i7's range of 625km is outstanding for an electric vehicle, but a petrol powered 740i will get you about 900km on a full tank. How many kilometres a day will you cover? Do you have time and a way to charge the i7 daily if you do cover a lot of distance?
If driving range isn't an issue, the i7 will reward you with a smooth, effortless driving experience and your passengers will have a serene journey in luxurious, high-tech surroundings. Just don't bump the door release button accidentally!