Rolls confirms SUV
Historic British brand Rolls-Royce announces its intention to join the luxury SUV raceRolls-Royce has confirmed its intention to Join the likes of Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach in the world's emerging super-luxury SUV market.
The hallowed British luxury car brand previously said it would decide this year whether or not to produce its first SUV, and yesterday announced it will reveal a new 'Serenity' concept that marks "new benchmark in luxury cars" at the Geneva motor show on March 3.
Now, via an 'open letter' from CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has confirmed it will indeed in the lucrative luxury SUV segment.
"Today we confirm that we are developing an all-new Rolls-Royce with exceptional presence, elegance and purpose," he said.
"A car that offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a vehicle that can cross any terrain.
"A car that meets our customers’ highly mobile, contemporary lifestyle expectations.
"A Rolls-Royce that is as much about the pioneering, adventurous spirit of Charles Rolls as it is about Sir Henry Royce’s dedication to engineering and innovation.
"A car that appropriately reflects Rolls-Royce’s brand promise of effortless luxury.
"A high-bodied car, with an all-new aluminium architecture.
"A unique new motor car worthy of carrying the Spirit of Ecstasy into the future.
"This new Rolls-Royce will be Effortless ... Everywhere."
No further information was provided, but Rolls-Royce previously said that if it was given the go-ahead, the marque's first SUV will not be launched before 2017.
Müller-Ötvös also previously confirmed Rolls will reveal a convertible version of its Wraith called the Drophead Coupe sometime this year before going on sale mid-2016, further boosting its expanding sales base.
Rolls-Royce posted a 12 per cent increase in deliveries to 4063 cars last year, breaking the 4000 barrier for the first time in its 111-year history, and says demand for personalised vehicles saw the company sell more "super-luxury" models priced above €200,000 ($A292,000) than any other car-maker in the world.
United States continues to be Rolls-Royce's biggest market, followed by China, the UAE (its top-selling dealer is in Abu Dhabi) and the UK. Just 39 Rollers were sold last year in Australia, nevertheless representing a 144 per cent sales spike on 2013.
Rolls-Royce added six new dealerships in 2014, bringing the total to 127, and says it will add more in 2015.
Following is the full open letter from Müller-Ötvös:
"The launch of Phantom in 2003 marked the beginning of the renaissance of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars," he said.
"Since then, we have set a new benchmark for what a super-luxury car should be – unique, hand-crafted, beautiful and rare. Often imitated, Phantom has never been equalled and continues to be hailed as ‘The Best Car in the World’ by our customers and media alike.
"Twelve years later, after the introduction of successful new models like Ghost and Wraith, Rolls-Royce stands proudly at the pinnacle of British luxury manufacturing, confirming our custodianship of this precious marque.
"Now we have reached another seminal moment in Rolls-Royce’s 111-year journey.
"Today we confirm that we are developing an all-new Rolls-Royce with exceptional presence, elegance and purpose:
"A car that offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a vehicle that can cross any terrain.
"A car that meets our customers’ highly mobile, contemporary lifestyle expectations.
"A Rolls-Royce that is as much about the pioneering, adventurous spirit of Charles Rolls as it is about Sir Henry Royce’s dedication to engineering and innovation.
"A car that appropriately reflects Rolls-Royce’s brand promise of effortless luxury.
"A high-bodied car, with an all-new aluminium architecture.
"A unique new motor car worthy of carrying the Spirit of Ecstasy into the future.
"This new Rolls-Royce will be Effortless .... Everywhere.
"Many of our discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car – and we have listened. At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we are uniquely focused on the desires of our customers and are driven by our own thirst to innovate. So we challenged our engineers and design team, led by Director of Design Giles Taylor, to create a different and exceptional new car.
"This car will embody all the values and capabilities that drove our two Founding Fathers to secure Rolls-Royce’s reputation, early last century, by taking top honours in rigorous overland adventures such as the Scottish Reliability Trials, the London to Edinburgh event and the Alpine Trials.
"Rolls-Royces conveyed pioneers and adventurers like Lawrence of Arabia across the vastness of unexplored deserts and over mountain ranges. In other parts of the world including Australia, India and the Americas, Rolls-Royces carried their owners over challenging terrain with absolute reliability and comfort.
"History sets our precedent and our future calls us to action.
"This new journey begins now. We will take our time in developing and perfecting this new concept in luxury. We will include our customers, enthusiasts and media along the way and will keep you informed of our progress.
"Until then, rest assured, we are creating a motor car in the greatest traditions of our marque.
"Sir Henry Royce famously said: 'When it does not exist, design it'.
"We are doing just that."
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