In 2021, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars delivered the highest-ever annual sales results in the marque's 117-year history.
The company delivered 5,586 motor cars to clients around the world, up 49% on the same period in 2020. This overall figure includes all-time record sales in most regions, including Greater China, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and in multiple countries across the globe.
All Rolls-Royce models performed extremely strongly. Growth has been driven principally by Ghost, with demand surging further, following the launch of Black Badge Ghost in October 2021. This, together with the continuing pre-eminence of Cullinan and the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom, has ensured order books are full well into the third quarter of 2022. The company’s Provenance (pre-owned) programme also enjoyed exceptional sales results in 2021, achieving an all-time record.
Bespoke commissions remain at record levels, with magnificent individual examples including the spectacular Phantom Oribe co-created with Hermès, alongside the Phantom Tempus, and Black Badge Wraith and Black Badge Dawn Landspeed Collection cars. The company signalled its commitment to leading a new contemporary coachbuilding movement with Rolls'Royce Coachbuild becoming a permanent fixture in its future portfolio, and with it the unveiling of its latest coachbuilt masterpiece, Boat Tail.
Rolls-Royce also announced its first all-electric car, Spectre, during 2021. The extraordinary undertaking of bringing Spectre to market by the fourth quarter of 2023 has now begun, and the most punishing testing protocol ever conceived for a Rolls'Royce is underway. This 2.5'million-kilometre journey, which extends to all four corners of the world, will simulate more than 400 years of use for a Rolls'Royce.
While preparations are made for the marque’s all-electric future, Rolls-Royce continues to meet the surge in demand for its current portfolio through a flexible manufacturing process and the dedication of the over 2,000 people who work at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex and around the world. The Rolls-Royce factory at Goodwood is currently running at maximum capacity, on a two-shift pattern to fulfil orders from clients around the world.
Rolls-Royce will continue to invest in its manufacturing plant in readiness for electrification, and in future talent, with a record 37 new apprentices set to join the company in September 2022.
Reflecting on the results, CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said, “This has been a truly historic year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In the past 12 months, we have recorded our highest-ever annual sales, launched the latest addition to our Black Badge family, stunned the world with our coachbuilding capabilities and made huge strides into our all-electric future.
As always, it has been made possible by the dedication and commitment of the extraordinary people at the Home of Rolls-Royce, our international team and our global dealer network. I wish to extend my thanks and congratulations to each and every one of them: it is my privilege and pleasure to work alongside them every day.”
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- GVs: current Rolls-Royce models on the road and interiors
- Stills: Rolls-Royce Spectre – announced in September 2021 as the company’s first electric car to go into full production
- GVs: Rolls-Royce's specialist designers and craftspeople at work on specially commissioned bespoke design elements
- Exteriors: Home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Goodwood, Sussex, England
- Soundbites: Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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Transcription of the CEO’s five soundbitesSoundbite 1:
2021 was a phenomenal year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. We delivered to our clients worldwide more cars than at any time in the marque’s 117-year history. We continue to experience unprecedented demand for all of our products in all markets around the world. It’s really doing well for us.
Soundbite 2:
The impact of the pandemic on the global economy has been huge, and, of course, we have not been immune to these developments. However, sales of our products around the world have bounced back strongly. We have an extremely strong product portfolio, with an exceptional Bespoke offering.
Soundbite 3:
I am happy to say that we have a well-balanced portfolio with strong demand for every Rolls-Royce model led by our pinnacle product, the Phantom. But we have also seen exceptional interest in Ghost and Cullinan in equal measures. We are also seeing, and it’s great to see, huge interest in our Black Badge models, especially the recently launched Black Badge Ghost here on my left side.
Soundbite 4
Rolls-Royce will continue to evolve as a true luxury brand, beyond the realms of automotive manufacturing. Our new Coachbuilding capability offers customers the chance to create a truly unique and individual motor car, with every part exactly as they want it. More broadly, the start of testing for Spectre, the first all-electric Rolls'Royce, marks the opening a new chapter.
Soundbite 5
Spectre will be a true Rolls-Royce first, and a fully electric car second. We will not compromise in any way on the luxury and quality that our clients expect from Rolls-Royce.
7 January 2022
