New Rolls-Royce confirmed
The most powerful men at Rolls-Royce have confirmed the ultra-luxury carmaker is working on a new model.
Word came directly from brand chief Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes and company chairman Peter Schwarzenbauer in an open letter to customers and the media this week.
The new model set to join Phantom, Ghost and Wraith in the lineup was dubbed a “seminal moment” in the brand’s 111-year history.
“Today we confirm that we are developing an all-new Rolls-Royce with exceptional presence, elegance and purpose,” the letter stated.
The company described a car that “offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a vehicle that can cross any terrain” leading some to believe the next model will be an SUV. It was also described as a “high-bodied car” with an all-new aluminum architecture.
The industry is anticipating a number of entrants into the luxury SUV segment including offerings from Lamborghini and Bentley so it would not be too suprising if Rolls-Royce joined the fray.
While on a press launch for the Wraith in November 2013, this reporter asked company director of global communications Richard Carter about the likelihood of the brand entering the SUV segment in the years to come.
Carter said at the time the company was not looking to expand into the SUV world, though he did report that nothing would be off the table assuming a business case could be made to support the vehicle.
This latest announcement comes as Rolls-Royce enjoys a wave of strong sales. Last year marked its fifth consecutive year of record sales delivering more than 4,000 units globally in 2014.
Strong showings in markets like North America and China have led the company to create over 200 new permanent jobs in the past 18 months to meet customer demand, particularly for Bespoke cars. The number of employees has doubled in the last five years and now stands at 1,500, primarily in skilled or highly skilled jobs, at its Goodwood facility in the south of England.
“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,” the release read in grand fashion.
“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.”
There was no timeline set for further information.
