Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Explained

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited
Type:Subsidiary
Industry:Automotive
Foundation: in the United Kingdom
Location City:Goodwood, West Sussex, England
Location Country:United Kingdom
Area Served:Worldwide
Key People:Chris Brownridge
(CEO)
Henry Cloke
(Chief Design Officer)
Jonathan Simms
(Lead Engineer)[1] [2]
Peter Schwarzenbauer
(Chairman)
Services:Automobile customisation
Num Employees:1,300 (2014)
Parent:BMW

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited is a British luxury automobile maker that has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW AG since 2003  - as the exclusive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce-branded motor cars. The company's administrative and production headquarters are located on the 42acres Goodwood Estate in Goodwood, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom.[3]

From 1906 to 2003, motor cars were manufactured and marketed under the Rolls-Royce brand by Rolls-Royce Limited and Rolls-Royce Motors. The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars subsidiary of BMW AG has no direct relationship to Rolls-Royce-branded vehicles produced before 2003, other than having briefly supplied components and engines. The Bentley Motors Limited subsidiary of Volkswagen AG is the direct successor to Rolls-Royce Motors and various other predecessor entities that produced Rolls-Royce and Bentley branded cars between the foundation of each company and 2003, when the BMW-controlled entity started producing cars under the Rolls-Royce brand.

The BBC called Rolls-Royce "probably one of the most recognised icons in the world", and that "the name Rolls-Royce entered the English language as a superlative."[4]

The company's line of vehicles includes the Phantom, a four-door saloon first offered in 2003 as well as its extended wheelbase two-door coupé and convertible variants; the smaller Ghost four-door saloon; Wraith two-door coupé; Dawn convertible; the Cullinan SUV, and the 2023 Spectre, the first all-electric Rolls-Royce.[5]

History

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW in 1998 after BMW licensed the rights to the Rolls-Royce brand name and logo from Rolls-Royce Holdings plc,[6] and acquired the rights to the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks from Volkswagen AG. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited has been manufacturing Rolls-Royce branded cars since 2003.

Although the Rolls-Royce brand has been in use since 1906, the fate of the brand diverged between 1998 and 2003. In 2003, the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars subsidiary of BMW AG, which had been a major supplier to the brand up to 2003, began manufacturing vehicles with the Rolls-Royce name. Volkswagen AG took ownership of the Bentley name as well as previous Rolls-Royce production facilities and previous Rolls-Royce designs.

Former chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös joined the company in January 2010, with a pledge to regain the quality standards that made Rolls-Royce famous. That year sales in China increased by 600%, making it the company's second largest market after the US.[7]

On October 5, 2023, Rolls-Royce announced that Müller-Ötvös will be retiring as CEO on November 30 after 14 years. He will be succeeded by Chris Brownridge, the current CEO of BMW UK, who will become the company's new CEO on December 1, 2023.[8] [9] Müller-Ötvös was the company's longest serving CEO to date.

Ownership and licensing of trademarks

In 1998, Vickers decided to sell Rolls-Royce Motors. The most likely buyer was BMW, which already supplied engines and other components for Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars, but BMW's final offer of £340 million was beaten by Volkswagen's £430 million ($703 million).[10]

A stipulation in the ownership documents of Rolls-Royce dictated that Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, the aero-engine maker, would retain certain essential trademarks, including the Rolls-Royce brand name and logo if the automotive division was sold. Although Vickers plc sold the vehicle designs, nameplates, administrative headquarters, production facilities, Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks to Volkswagen AG, Rolls-Royce plc chose to license the Rolls-Royce name and logo to BMW AG for £40 million ($66 million), because Rolls-Royce plc had recently had joint business ventures with BMW.[11]

BMW's contract to supply engines and components to Rolls-Royce Motors allowed BMW to cancel the contract with 12 months' notice. Volkswagen would be unable to re-engineer the Rolls-Royce and Bentley vehicles to use other engines within that time frame. With the Rolls-Royce brand identification marks split between the two companies and Volkswagen's engine supply in jeopardy, the two companies entered into negotiations. Volkswagen agreed to sell BMW the Spirit of Ecstasy and grille shape trademarks and BMW agreed to continue supplying engines and components until 2003. Volkswagen continued to produce Rolls-Royce branded vehicles between 1998 and 2003. This gave BMW time to build a new Rolls-Royce administrative headquarters and production facility on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester, West Sussex, and develop the Phantom, the first Rolls-Royce from the new company. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited became the exclusive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce branded cars in 2003. Rolls-Royce announced in September 2014 that a new technology and logistics centre would be built, which opened in 2016, 8 miles away from the main headquarters, in the seaside resort town of Bognor Regis.[12] [13]

Products

Current

Phantom

See main article: Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII.

Ghost (Second Generation)

Cullinan

Spectre

See main article: Rolls-Royce Spectre.

Former

Phantom

See main article: Rolls-Royce Phantom (seventh generation).

See main article: Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé.

See main article: Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé.

See main article: Rolls-Royce Sweptail.

Ghost (First Generation)

Dawn

See main article: Rolls-Royce Dawn.

Wraith

See main article: Rolls Royce Wraith.

Concept vehicles

Sales

The all-time high record of sales (beginning in 2005) was achieved in 2023, at 6,032 cars, topping 2022 sales by 11 cars. In 2011, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited sold 3,538 cars, an increase of 31 percent compared to 2010, beating the previous sales record from 1978. The strong sales growth occurred in the Asia Pacific region, Britain and the Middle East with sales increases of 47 percent, 30 percent and 23 percent respectively.[28]

Calendar year Total sales
2005[29] 796
2006805
2007[30] 1,010
2008[31] 1,212
20091,002
20102,711
20113,538
2012[32] 3,575
2013[33] 3,630
2014[34] 4,063
2015[35] 3,785
2016[36] 4,011
2017[37] 3,362
2018[38] 4,107
2019[39] 5,152
2020[40] 3,756
2021[41] 5,586
2022[42] 6,021
2023[43] 6,032

Charity

In 2014, the company designed a silver coloured Rolls-Royce-themed Paddington Bear statue—"The Spirit of Paddington"—which was located in Berkeley Square Gardens (one of fifty located around London prior to the release of the film Paddington), which was auctioned to raise funds for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).[44]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rolls-Royce Engineering Lead Jonathan Simms talks about engineering the Ghost. Autoblog. 3 September 2020. 10 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115546/https://www.autoblog.com/rolls-royce-ghost-engineering-talk-170124852.html. live.
  2. Web site: Rolls-Royce Designer Henry Cloke talks about the design aspect. Autoblog. 3 September 2020. 10 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110115545/https://www.autoblog.com/rolls-royce-ghost-design-talk-170124936.html. live.
  3. Web site: A Greener Goodwood. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. 15 July 2023.
  4. News: Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow . 12 June 2022 . BBC . 13 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613083924/https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/ziHy_WzoT-6kWH4iEPKxTg . live .
  5. News: Rolls-Royce Spectre . 5 Sep 2022 . 18 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220818142729/https://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/en_US/showroom/spectre.html . live .
  6. News: Cowell. Alan. 1998-07-29. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; BMW to Get Rolls-Royce After All by Acquiring the Name. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-06-12. 0362-4331. 29 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129012336/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/29/business/international-business-bmw-to-get-rolls-royce-after-all-by-acquiring-the-name.html. live.
  7. http://www.barrymansfield.com/pdf/TurboJet%20Horizon%20Rolls%20Royce.pdf TurboJet Horizon: 'Roll with the changes'
  8. Web site: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF TORSTEN MÜLLER-ÖTVÖS, CEO. Rolls-Royce. 2023-10-05.
  9. Web site: Rolls-Royce CEO Retires, Chris Brownridge Named New Boss. motor1. 2023-10-05.
  10. News: Rolls-Royce Sale To VW Backed . 27 June 2022 . The New York Times . 6 June 1998 . 27 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220627081953/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/06/business/rolls-royce-sale-to-vw-backed.html . live .
  11. News: BMW Buys Rolls-Royce Brand Name . 27 June 2022 . CBS . 27 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220627081649/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bmw-buys-rolls-royce-brand-name/ . live .
  12. News: Rolls-Royce plans Bognor Regis technology centre. BBC News. 8 September 2014. 24 June 2015. 9 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141209061248/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-29118089. live.
  13. News: New building sought by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at its site . 27 June 2022 . Bognor Regis Post . 14 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220814071932/https://www.bognorregispost.co.uk/2018/09/new-building-sought-by-rolls-royce-motor-cars-at-its-site/ . live .
  14. News: CarAndDriver: Rolls-Royce Spectre . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220906030055/https://www.caranddriver.com/rolls-royce/spectre . 6 September 2022 . 5 Sep 2022.
  15. Web site: This $13 Million Rolls-Royce Took Four Years to Build. Máté. Petrány. 31 May 2017. Road & Track. 12 December 2020. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020658/https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a9954783/this-dollar13-million-rolls-royce-took-four-years-to-build/. live.
  16. Web site: $13 Million Rolls-Royce Sweptail Could Be Most Expensive New Car Ever Made. Caleb. Jacobs. The Drive. 27 May 2017 . 12 December 2020. 30 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030113557/https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/10739/13-million-rolls-royce-sweptail-could-be-most-expensive-new-car-ever-made. live.
  17. News: 2023-05-02 . Rolls-Royce has officially ended production of the Dawn convertible . en . 2023-05-03 . 3 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503145922/https://www.topgear.com/car-news/british/rolls-royce-has-officially-ended-production-dawn-convertible . live .
  18. https://www.caradvice.com.au/380626/rolls-royce-dawn-unveiled/ The new Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible has been unveiled just ahead of the 2015 Frankfurt motor show
  19. https://www.topgear.com/car-news/british/rolls-royces-new-dawn-glorious-ps250000-super-convertible Rolls-Royce's new Dawn is a glorious, £250,000 super-convertible
  20. News: Rolls-Royce Dawn production ends ahead of Spectre EV launch . en . 2023-05-03 . 3 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503150204/https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/rolls-royce-dawn-production-ends-ahead-spectre-ev-launch . live .
  21. Web site: Rolls-Royce Wraith: This Is It. Peter Orosz. Jalopnik. 5 March 2013 . 24 June 2015. 22 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151122233613/http://jalopnik.com/rolls-royce-wraith-this-is-it-451066986. live.
  22. Web site: Which Rolls-Royce Is The Fastest? - Luxury Viewer. 12 February 2021. 2021-08-04. en-US. 6 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220706123723/https://luxuryviewer.com/which-rolls-royce-is-the-fastest/. live.
  23. Web site: 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith Set for 2013 Geneva Auto Show. 18 January 2013. Edmunds. 24 June 2015. 23 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923234035/http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2014-rolls-royce-wraith-set-for-2013-geneva-auto-show.html. live.
  24. https://archive.today/20130216173635/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/pressclub/p/rr/pressDetail.html?id=T0136285EN Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PressClub: "Most dynamic and powerful Rolls-Royce in history set for debut at Geneva"
  25. Web site: 2008 Rolls-Royce Hyperion Images, Pricing and News . Conceptcarz.com . 29 July 2010 . 13 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613041711/http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z15446/Rolls-Royce-Hyperion.aspx . live .
  26. Web site: Blanco . Sebastian . Rolls-Royce Mini auf autobloggreen . Green.autoblog.com . 26 September 2011 . 4 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120304001248/http://green.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/spy-shots-rolls-royce-mini-one-off/ . dead .
  27. Web site: Savov. Vlad. The Rolls-Royce Vision 100 concept is completelty, irredeemably ridiculous. The Verge. 16 June 2016. 18 June 2016. 17 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160617232730/http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/16/11952304/rolls-royce-vision-100-concept-car-photos. live.
  28. News: Luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce enjoys record sales . Matt Scuffham . Reuters . 2012-01-09 . 4 May 2019 . 1 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190501105428/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-rolls-royce-sales/luxury-carmaker-rolls-royce-enjoys-record-sales-idUKL6E8C92JF20120109 . live .
  29. Web site: BMW Group Achieves New Sales Revenue Record In 2006. WebWire. 4 May 2019. 4 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190504060358/https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp%3FaId%3D26820. live.
  30. Web site: BMW reports 90% drop in 2008 net profit to 330 million euro . Bmwblog.com . 26 September 2011 . 24 July 2012 . https://archive.today/20120724034655/http://www.bmwblog.com/2009/03/12/bmw-reports-90-drop-in-2008-net-profit-to-330-million-euro/ . dead .
  31. Web site: Usrey . Bryan . Rolls-Royce Has Massive Sales Year in 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708121338/http://www.carnewsbreak.com/news/1053500_rolls-royce-has-massive-sales-year-in-2010 . dead . 8 July 2011 . Carnewsbreak.com . 11 January 2011 . 26 September 2011.
  32. Web site: Rolls-Royce Announces Record Sales In Company's 108-year History. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. 10 January 2013. 2 February 2013. dead. https://archive.today/20130216173712/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/pressclub/p/rr/pressDetail.html?id=T0135967EN. 16 February 2013. dmy-all.
  33. Web site: Rolls-Royce says it is looking at designs for a 4x4 vehicle, as it reports record sales. BBC News. 9 January 2014. 9 January 2013. 9 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140109091406/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25660986. live.
  34. Web site: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS CELEBRATES FIFTH SUCCESSIVE SALES RECORD. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. 6 January 2015. 4 May 2019. 4 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190504060358/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0199505EN/rolls-royce-motor-cars-celebrates-fifth-successive-sales-record. dead.
  35. Web site: Rolls-Royce Announces Second Highest Sales Record In Its 113-Year History. https://web.archive.org/web/20170303043829/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0249766EN/rolls-royce-motor-cars-celebrates-second-highest-sales-record-in-marque%E2%80%99s-112-year-history?language=en . dead . 3 March 2017 . 11 Jan 2016.
  36. Web site: Rolls-royce Motor Cars Celebrates Second Highest Sales Record In Marque's 112-year History . . 1 March 2017 . 11 September 2017 . 21 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170921215343/https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2017/01/09/rolls-royce-announces-second-highest-sales-record-in-its-113-year-history/ . live .
  37. Web site: Rolls-royce Motor Cars Delivers Outstanding Result In 2017. www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. en. 2019-01-12. 5 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210305094422/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0277884EN/rolls-royce-motor-cars-delivers-outstanding-result-in-2017?language=en. dead.
  38. News: Rolls-Royce enjoys record car sales after US tax cuts. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211231210/https://www.ft.com/content/5c8fb398-142d-11e9-a581-4ff78404524e. 11 December 2022. subscription. live. Financial Times. 10 January 2019. en-GB. 2019-01-12. Campbell. Peter.
  39. Web site: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS DELIVERS HISTORIC RECORD RESULT IN 2019. www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. en. 2023-02-19. 19 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230219171112/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0304275EN/rolls-royce-motor-cars-delivers-historic-record-result-in-2019?language=en. live.
  40. Web site: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: remarkable performance in an extraordinary year. www.press.bmwgroup.com. en. 2023-02-19. 19 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230219171057/https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0323950EN/bmw-group-concludes-year-marked-by-corona-pandemic-with-strong-fourth-quarter-and-leads-premium-segment-worldwide-for-17th-consecutive-year?language=en. live.
  41. Web site: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS REPORTS RECORD ANNUAL RESULTS FOR 2021. www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. en. 2023-02-19. 19 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230219171111/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0363813EN/rolls-royce-motor-cars-reports-record-annual-results-for-2021?language=en. live.
  42. Web site: HISTORIC SALES RECORD COMPLETES LANDMARK YEAR FOR ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS. www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. en. 2023-02-19. 19 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230219171056/https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0407298EN/historic-sales-record-completes-landmark-year-for-rolls-royce-motor-cars?language=en. live.
  43. Web site: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS IN 2023: A YEAR OF SUCCESS. www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com. en. 2024-01-15.
  44. News: Why Paddington Bear Statues Have Taken Over London . 12 June 2022 . Condé Nast . 9 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609174122/https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-11-24/paddington-bear-statues-taken-over-london-david-beckham-benedict-cumberbatch . live .