The Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV hasn’t found favour with everyone, but it’s hitting the mark where it matters – amongst Rolls-Royce customers.
The introduction of the Cullinan has lifted 2019 Rolls-Royce sales by 25 percent over 2018, to the highest in its 116-year history.
Rolls-Royce sold 5,152 new cars last year. Which isn’t bad when you think even the cheapest costs upwards of £235,000.
The Cullinan costs from £256,000 and pretty much every customer adds extras on top of that, pushing the transaction price even higher.
“This performance is of an altogether different magnitude to any previous year’s sales success,” said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos.
However, he admits he doesn’t actually want sales to rise much higher. “We are conscious of our key promise to our customers, to keep our brand rare and exclusive.”
Demand, he said, “is expected to stabilise in 2020”.
Rolls-Royce top countries
Rolls-Royce sells its cars in 50 markets worldwide, from 135 global retailers.
North America is the biggest market for Rolls-Royce, taking one in three cars built. China is next, followed by Europe.
Record sales were also achieved in Russia, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Qatar and South Korea.
New retailers opened in Brisbane and Shangnai – and, in 2020, a new Rolls-Royce flagship dealership in Berkeley Street, London, is due to open.
It is more than twice the size of Rolls-Royce’s previous London dealer.
While all focus was on the Cullinan in 2019, production of another Rolls-Royce, the Ghost, actually stopped.
Don’t worry though, adds the firm. The best-selling Rolls-Royce in the history of the marque, launched back in 2009, will be coming back. The new Ghost is due in mid-2020, ahead of sales beginning in the winter.
In the meantime, let’s see how long it takes for the Cullinan to become the ‘new’ best-selling Rolls-Royce…
The company currently known as Rolls Royce Motor Cars was formed in 1998 by BMW, It bears no relation, other than the badge, to the car company that had been making RR cars before then. It has 21 years’ history not “116”.