As Rolls-Royce heads for another record year for unit sales, the geographical split is changing, according to chairman and managing director Ian Robertson.
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“This year we will have another record, it will be around about the 800 number,” he told a media dinner in London.
“The geographic split of that is changing quite dramatically. This year, China will become the third biggest market in the world.
“It will overtake Japan and it will not just overtake it, it will overtake it by a substantial double-digit margin. So, a new perspective for us in the business.”
Robertson said later that the leading market geographic split is now the US, 40%; major Middle East markets 15%; UK, 13%; China 5% and Japan, “less than 5%”.
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By GlobalDataRolls-Royce, whose current product range is standard and long-wheelbase versions of the V12 Phantom limousine, has entered a number of new markets in the last year including in the former eastern Europe, India and Pakistan and “emerging countries in the Middle East as well,” Robertson said.
Sales of the long-wheelbase model launched a year ago have exceeded expectations. Rolls-Royce planned to sell about 50 units a year at a price premium of $US50,000 but now expects to move 150 this year alone.
“We are very pleased with the additional business that brings to us and our dealers,” Robertson said.
He said R-R was now entering ‘Phase Two’ and extending its range. First out – public debut at the Detroit show next January – is the convertible based on the 100EX concept car shown previously.
The name of his new car – approved at some length by the BMW board two months ago – could not be prised out of the Rolls-Royce boss but he did say “many of the unique features” seen on the 100EX will carry over to production versions.
These include teak decking over the soft top – which will need oiling as part of the annual service – and it will also have a stainless steel hood (roof).
Robertson stressed that stainless steel technology “as used by a certain individual at a factory in Northern Ireland some 20 years ago” [ex-GM executive John DeLorean’s ill-fated gullwing sportscar project] “has moved on somewhat and really does deliver as you expect”.
A sportier coupe version also shown in concept form is currently on world tour as potential buyers’ opinions are polled, but no final decision has been made.
Robertson said such customers were hard to reach through normal channels such as advertising or a dealership champagne evening but concept car viewings work.
“We can talk to them in a relatively small environment where they can voice their opinion on something you generally can’t see.
“Most companies make concept cars to show at motor shows, we take it another step and show it to customers around the world.
“Whether we’ll do that car remains to be decided, however, I will try not to disappoint the many people who have already put down deposits on the coupe without knowing the price or when delivery could be,” Robertson said.
If the coupe goes ahead, Rolls-Royce would have four models in the $300,000-400,000 segment.
Next up, as announced at the recent Paris show, is a smaller car – relevant to the gargantuan Phantom so still a large car – priced in the GBP160,000-200,000 range.
He said this was not a response to Bentley’s Continental as it was a different size and at a different price point.
A UK design team began work about three months ago for a launch “between now and the end of the decade”.
All this means a substantial number of people will be recruited for the Goodwood factory on England’s south coast, which finishes, trims and assembles the cars using body shells and mechanicals imported from BMW plants in Germany.
Robertson said around 50 had joined recently to help build the convertible and more will follow.
The company has just received planning permission from its local council to start a second shift.
The next decision – to be made in the next few months – is between a second assembly line or to multiplex the existing line, Robertson said.
Graeme Roberts
