Rolls-Royce sees record sales in 2014
Total 2014 sales took the 111-year old carmaker for the first time above the 4,000-unit mark, with a tally of 4,063 cars, representing a 12% surge over the figures accounted in 2013. The record sales also mark the fifth consecutive year of annual record increases. Additionally, "a record number of customers spent personal one-on-one time with Rolls-Royce's Bespoke design consultants commissioning their personalized vehicles,"commented the company in a statement.
The automaker further disclosed that sales in the US market – the largest for luxury cars – increased by almost a third, while jumping 40% in Europe and soaring 20% in the Middle East. Naturally, the Wraith entry-level model and continued growth from the redesigned Ghost Series II drove the sales performance up. Profits should also tally nicely, as Rolls-Royce claimed it sold more cars above the Euro 200,000 (£157,000) threshold than any direct competitor as demand for bespoke customization remained at a high level.
Chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos, commenting on the sidelines of the sales statement added for BBC that around 80% of customers were entrepreneurs and business owners, with the remainder celebrities. The company's strong performance was buoyed by its emphasis on strategizing a "balanced global sales picture"�, with emphasis on overall "not regional " demand. He added that the brand was still mulling whether to develop a four-wheel drive SUV vehicle, pursuing Bentley that is in the final stages of development with its upcoming ultra-luxury crossover model.