Rockin’ times for Rolls-Royce

BIG numbers have got the high rollers rocking at Britain’s most famous luxury car company.

Rolls-Royce has announced its second highest ever annual sales result in the marque’s 113-year history – up six per cent on its 2015 results.

A handy 4,011 cars were delivered to customers in more than 50 countries, underpinning the brand’s strength in a year of challenging market conditions for luxury goods worldwide.

Company chief Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: “This remarkable result emphatically affirms the global appeal of the very finest British luxury goods to the world’s most discerning patrons.

“Rolls-Royce is a true Great British manufacturing success story, one driven by the hard work and ingenuity of the men and women employed at our Centre of Luxury Excellence in Goodwood, West Sussex.

“Success for Rolls-Royce is success for Great Britain and we reaffirm our commitment to maintaining the home of Rolls-Royce in the UK.”

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Demand for Rolls-Royce was driven by the success of the Wraith and Ghost car families, which were further enhanced in 2016 with the introduction of their new Black Badge variants.

Another major contributor was Dawn drophead which entered full production with the strongest pre-order book ever achieved by a new Rolls-Royce model.

And 2016 was also the final year of production for the seventh-generation Phantom, with its successor due in late 2018.

Rolls-Royce’s new Technology and Logistics Centre at Bognor Regis opened almost 12 months ago and the company’s growth in production facilities was matched by the creation of over 100 new jobs.

More than 1,700 people are now working for the brand – an increase of almost 500% on the original team of 350 who worked to create the first Phantom in 2003.