Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Announces Strong Half-Year Sales and Investment Boost

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has enjoyed a strong start to 2018, with the marque seeing a significant boost to global sales. Worldwide sales were up 13 percent compared with the same period in 2017, with demand for all Rolls-Royce models holding firm in Europe, the US, and other key regions. There are encouraging signs of recovery in the Chinese market; like all luxury brands, however, the marque faces continued economic headwinds in the Middle East. Deliveries of the company's pinnacle product, the eighth-generation Phantom, began in January, with the new Cullinan super-luxury SUV causing a global media and public sensation on its launch in May. The first customer deliveries for Cullinan are due early next year; order books for both models are exceptionally strong. Global demand for Wraith, Ghost and Dawn also remains keen, driven in part by their Black Badge variants, which are bringing the Rolls-Royce brand to new audiences. Bespoke is the jewel in the Rolls-Royce crown, with almost all cars commissioned from the Home of Rolls-Royce now incorporating individual elements designed and created to the owner’s precise specification. The first six months of 2018 saw some truly exceptional examples of Bespoke artistry and craftsmanship, including 'Wraith Luminary', Dawn 'Inspired by Music' and the Wraith and Dawn Adamas Collection, together with a number of exceptional customer commissions. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has created more than 50 new permanent jobs, primarily in skilled manufacturing roles. The Goodwood plant now employs over 1,800 people, with the cosmopolitan workforce comprising almost 50 different nationalities. The company is also demonstrating its long-term commitment to future talent, with a record intake on its industry-leading Apprenticeship Program. In August, 23 new recruits will join the scheme, adding to almost 50 men and women currently training and studying in departments across the business. The company is also investing in the Home of Rolls-Royce, with a new gated parking area providing 500 new spaces under construction, on land adjacent to the plant. The site also includes a dedicated car park for the neighboring March CE Primary School, with a new road crossing, provided by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the absence of local authority funding. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, "This is a very encouraging half-year result; it is a testament to our incredibly skilled and dedicated team at Goodwood, and underlines the trust and loyalty of our customers worldwide. Across all models, customers can see how our innovation and engineering excellence are continually redefining super-luxury motoring. They can also be assured of our long-term vision and commitment to sustainable growth through investments in our people and the Home of Rolls-Royce."