Why Rolls-Royce owners are ditching the chauffeur

In revelations that will bewilder those who sit in snarling stop-start traffic during their morning commute, Rolls-Royce says its owners are ditching the private chauffeur driver in increasing numbers to enjoy the art of driving themselves.

The global boss of the British car-maker, Torsten Muller-Otvos, says a broadening of the Rolls customer base has coincided with a shift in preferences. No longer do well-heeled owners want the luxury of a professional driver steering them between important business meetings; they are largely happy to do the wheel work for themselves.

“We are very much a self-driver’s brand nowadays,” Muller-Otvos says during a recent visit to Australia.

“We might have formerly been chauffeur-driven, but that has completely changed. The minority of cars we sell are for chauffeurs, with the exception of maybe the Phantom in long wheelbase form. Everything else is purely driver’s cars.”

Muller-Otvos’ sentiments serve as a sharp dichotomy to the rest of the car industry, which is increasingly embracing autonomous technology while adhering to tightening safety standards.

That may be because Rolls-Royce considers itself “a luxury brand instead of a car brand”. But the change also reflects a much younger ownership base for the British marque, with the average buyer now in their early forties.

“Younger people are prepared to spend the money they make and they are floating it into luxury goods, which is great,” he says. Of most note to Rolls-Royce is the new Cullinan SUV, which is set to drive about 50 per cent of growth for the storied maker.

“It’s hard-earned and it’s earned in their early years, but it’s far easier today if you are bright enough, to make good money than it was 20 years ago,” Muller-Otvos says.

“With apps, phones and so on you can make money in early years, quite a fortune. Money today is not any longer inherited, it is very much self-gained and self-achieved, and many of these people want to spend it, which is good.”

Muller-Otvos forecasts that autonomous technology will soon be part of the Rolls-Royce landscape. However, unlike rivalling manufacturers, the adoption will not begin in earnest until the technology is at a sufficient stage – meaning at least Level 4, or hands-off autonomy.

“Owners only want that technology at a level that is really convenient and really brings you advantages,” he qualifies.