Rolls-Royce is considering a less expensive, higher volume model to compete against Bentley’s new Continental Flying Spur sedan.
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“Our engineering team is looking at lots of concepts,” said Rolls-Royce CEO Ian Robertson during an interview with Automotive News Europe at the Geneva motor show. “We are absolutely committed to see this family develop. I wouldn’t rule anything out or in.”
Rolls-Royce, which is subsidiary of BMW, has made products in many segments during the course of its history, and that gives the brand room to expand, Robertson said.
Rolls-Royce currently sells just one car, the Phantom. It costs €323,700 in Europe and $US328,000 (€249,400) before taxes in the US.
Volkswagen group subsidiary Bentley, which was under the same ownership as Rolls-Royce until the two split at the end of 2002, introduced the Continental Flying Spur sedan at Geneva. The new Bentley sedan will sell for €144,400 in Europe and $165,950 in the US.
Robertson said the brand’s Goodwood, England, factory, where Rolls-Royce makes the Phantom, could easily double its 1,000-cars-a-year capacity.
Last week, Rolls-Royce approved the design of a new convertible that will be similar to the 100EX Centenary Experimental Car introduced at Geneva in 2004. The 100EX is expected to go into production in 2007.
Bentley’s strategy of focusing on models slightly more downscale than those of Rolls and DaimlerChrysler’s Maybach brand has boosted volume dramatically. Last year, Bentley built 7,562 cars, up from 685 in 2003, while Rolls-Royce built 870 cars in 2004 and Maybach produced 744 units.
