Rolls-Royce recently announced that the company had, in 2018, recorded their highest annual sales in 115 years; they sold 4,107 cars in over 50 countries, registering an increase of 22%compared to 2017.
Each Rolls-Royce is personalised at the company’s manufacturing facility in Good wood, UK. They are crafted to meet the owner’s preference and customisations range from unique colours and designs for the exterior to interior features and accessories such as custom-made picnic tables, jewellery boxes and embroidered headrests.
In order to maintain their exclusivity, there is a process in place for applicants – a complete background check, entire family history and social standing, including prior generations. A few celebrities have been refused access to the brand; notable owners have been David Beckham, Michael Jackson, John Lennon and Elvis Presley.
Roll-Royce are considered to be a luxury brand; the base price of a Phantom stands at $450,000, while a Cullinan is priced at $325,000 in the U.S., which is their biggest market. Customisations were initially implemented for 20% of the purchase price; in 2018, this went up to 40%.
Despite this, demand for customization has increased and over 90% of all Rolls-Royce vehicles sold are personalised to such an extent that each one is considered to be one-of-a-kind.
Rolls-Royce clearly know what makes them stand out. Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO, Rolls-Royce told Bloomberg that “customers are increasingly intrigued by all the possibilities we can offer — they want to put their own personal signature on the product.”
Muller-Otvos believes that the future for the company is not electronic or hybrid (maybe electronic in 10 years) and their focus will remain on their unique customizations.
The year 2019 is expected to be equally promising for Rolls-Royce; all orders for the 2019 SUV Cullinan require personalization (incidentally, more than half of the orders have been placed by first time Rolls-Royce buyers). Can this be due to all the space the seven-seater provides? Possibly.
By Natashe Zafar
