Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Rolls-Royce sold 11 Phantoms in India in 2007

January 15, 2008 17:56 IST

Rolls-Royce sold as many as 11 cars in 2007 in India, registering a growth of 57% over 2006. Of these, eight were RR Phantom Standard Wheelbase, two were RR Phantom Extended wheelbase and one was the RR Phantom Drophead Coupe.

Each Rools-Royce costs upwards of Rs 3 crore (Rs 30 million).

The company's worldwide sales increased by 25 per cent in 2007, over 2006, with retails of 1,010 cars.

This is the first time that annual sales have reached four figures and the fourth successive sales increase since the company was launched in 2003.

There was strong demand for all Phantom models, with the four door versions (Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase) remaining the best sellers and accounting for 75 per cent of the total. However, it was the exceptional demand for the new Phantom Drophead Coupé, launched in the summer, which drove the volume increase. Production capacity at Goodwood was maximized by working extended shifts.

"Everybody at Rolls-Royce is delighted with this tremendous result which marks our fifth anniversary in the best possible way," said Ian Robertson, chairman and chief executive.

"It confirms Rolls-Royce as the most desirable brand in the super luxury market and is a credit to the passion and dedication of our teams at Goodwood and around the world. The customer reaction to the Drophead Coupé has been astonishing, exceeding all our expectations," he said in a media release.

North America remained the biggest single market for Rolls-Royce in 2007, accounting for 40 per cent of sales and showing growth of 22 per cent. Exceptional performances were seen in the United Arab Emirates and in China which grew by around 70 and 50 per cent, respectively.

The Rolls-Royce dealer network expanded to 80 in 2007, with new showrooms including St Petersburg, Kiev and Dresden. The top selling dealers worldwide in 2007 were, respectively, Beverly Hills, London, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and Dubai. Abu Dhabi saw the highest annual increase, with sales more than doubling.