Rolls-Royce registered highest ever sales since it was founded in 1906. High demand has resulted in the carmaker starting a second shift at its Goodwood factory.
Rolls-Royce created history last yearby selling the most cars it has ever sold in its 117-year history, boosting volumes 49 percent year-on-year and reporting record sales in most markets.The luxury marque sold 5,586 cars globally last year, which is 1,836 more than in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had a near-universal impact on car manufacturers, and 461 more than the previous record set in 2019.
- Rolls-Royce registers highest ever sales since it was founded in 1906
- Its growth has been driven by demand for its Ghost sedan
- Its first electric car, the Spectre, will launch next year
Steady rise in demand
It is the highest volume recorded by the Goodwood firm since it was founded as Rolls-Royce Limited in 1906. The carmaker attributes this to “all-time record sales in most regions” and high demand for each of its five models.Rolls-Royce said the sales volumes achieved last year make it the undisputed leader in the uber-luxury segment.
Precise figures for each car have not been released, but Rolls-Royce says growth has been driven principally by the Ghost sedan – its newest model – and bolstered by the launch of the more dynamically oriented Ghost Black Badge overseas.
The firm also reports steady sales of the larger Phantom and its Cullinan SUV sibling, and has orders running well into the third quarter of this year. Its Goodwood factory is running at maximum capacity, on a two-shift pattern, to fulfil these orders. Current lead times are put at around one year.
Coming to Rolls-Royce’s India sales, the company said its business remained stable despite challenges throughout the year. “We are now seeing positive signs of a rebound with increasing customer interest in the brand,” said Sangwook Lee, regional sales manager, Asia Pacific.Rolls-Royce sells the Wraith, Ghost, Phantom, Dawn and the Cullinan SUV in our country.
One-off models
Bespoke Rolls-Royce commissionsalso hit a high, with models like the Phantom Oribe and Phantom Tempus. The carmaker also revealed the £20 million (over Rs 20 crore) Boat Tail in 2021 as a statement of intent for its dedicated Coachbuild division, which is expected to produce a highly exclusive and totally bespoke model once every two years.
On-road development tests of the Spectre got underway recently, and by the time of its reveal, it will have undergone over 20 lakh kilometresof testing – the equivalent of 400 years of use, Rolls-Royce says.
Rolls-Royce’s record figures come just days after fellow British marque Bentley also announced that last year was its best year on record.
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