Filed under: Car Buying, Plants/Manufacturing, Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce to produce 10% more Phantoms in 2008
Business at Goodwood is, well... good. As such, Rolls-Royce, already having dedicated millions of dollars to enhancing its production facilities, is looking to add more hands in a bid to keep up with the ever-growing demand for its cars. Production in 2007 was up 25% over 2006 to 1,000 units, and RR execs see another 10% of growth likely for 2008. Credit emerging markets for the increase in demand, especially China, in which 100 cars are expected to be sold by year's end. That's up from 71 of the mega-sleds sold there in 2006. Where people are coming into money, they're buying Rolls-Royces. After all, as status symbols go, the Spirit of Ecstasy is almost without peer, and few luxury objects communicate wealth like a big new Roller. The Phantom (saloon or drophead, take your pick) might well be the ultimate arrival machine. Things are going so well, in fact, that the automaker is basically sold-out through 2009. Better get that second production line going soon, guys.
[Source: Financial Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Taylor 7:08PM (12/27/2007)
I'll take two please. Thanks.
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EJ25RUN 7:19PM (12/27/2007)
poppin the bubbly for the Spirit of Ecstasy.
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john 7:39PM (12/27/2007)
I'd need a bit more ego to be seen in one of those.
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Mark 8:00PM (12/27/2007)
agreed
www.dentalcareandhealth.com 8:01PM (12/27/2007)
Elegant!
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len simpson 8:40PM (12/27/2007)
they,re all Dubai bound
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3seriesisking 9:50PM (12/27/2007)
Ha. You're probaby right.
SteveInRoppongi 10:29PM (12/27/2007)
Saw a nice silver on in a Tokyo showroom... asking price 52,000,000 yen... around 475K.
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BartMack 11:23PM (12/27/2007)
Kool. I hate it when you walk into a Rolls dealer and they don't circle you like hungry sharks because they're sold out. That sucks.
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Gooch 9:10AM (12/28/2007)
I wonder, in 50 years, will collectors clamor after these cars in the way they do the Rolls of the 20s and 30s. Will the increased production make them less likely to be regarded as "classic?"
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Bob A 11:36AM (12/28/2007)
Only time will tell if a Phantom Drophead will turn up on the lawn at Pebble Beach in 50 years. But Rolls-Royce production has averaged just about 1000 cars a year since the company was formed in 1904. That is about what the company will produce in 2007 as well.
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DanMan 12:52PM (12/28/2007)
Remember Guys, production is the only thing that makes something rare. Survival has something to do with it too. How many of these new Rolls will survive in 80 years with them being shipped off to "emerging markets" where regardless of the skills of the Rolls driver (owner or chauffeur) many other ham fisted drivers will be a great danger to the cars survival. Plus how many will be blow up in mob hits? (Just kidding, calm down.)
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tnywg 1:30PM (12/28/2007)
Likely going to hotel fleets. Peninsula took the largest single delivery.
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