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ROLLS-ROYCE TO EXPAND MANUFACTURING PLANT, Goodwood, 13 September 2011

The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in West Sussex is to expand in the months ahead. The news follows significant growth in worldwide sales over the last 18 months and a greater demand from customers for highly personalised Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom models.

The expansion includes an increase in size by more than 2500 square metres for the Assembly Hall, completing the final phase of development from original site plans for the production area. A new extension will also increase the Surface Finish Centre by more than 640 square metres. Total investment in the project will be about £10 million.

This development follows record sales in 2010 and growing demand across all markets, both at home and internationally. The company is also expanding its dealer network, with several new dealerships recently launched in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe and more are planned in the balance of the year.

The new space, and a number of additional infrastructure changes, will allow the company's manufacturing and Bespoke operation to expand significantly. Bespoke allows Rolls-Royce customers the luxury to commission motor cars that suit their personal lifestyles and creative desires, transforming super-luxury cars into unique hand-crafted masterpieces which are as individual as their owner's fingerprint. This year, Rolls-Royce has seen a significant increase in demand for personalised bespoke models, and the company recently announced a doubling in the number of Bespoke experts throughout the business.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, "I am very pleased to announce our expansion plans. We continue to see increased demand from customers all over the world and the new facilities will allow us to increase the capacity for our hand-built, highly personalised motor cars. This investment demonstrates our confidence in this unique brand, our commitment to our Home at Goodwood - the only place in the world where Rolls-Royce motor cars are built - and signals the next phase in the development of our company."

Mark Prisk, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, said, "It is good news to hear that Rolls-Royce has plans for expansion at the Goodwood site. It is a further endorsement of the strength of the automotive sector in the UK. Automotive is the UK's number one manufactured export – in 2010 the UK auto sector exported over £27 billion-worth of vehicles and parts."

Construction is planned to commence later this year and will be completed in late 2012

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars - inspired by the Spirit of Ecstasy in 2011
04.01.2011

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is celebrating one hundred years of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the famous flying lady mascot that inspires owners, enthusiasts and those working for the world's pinnacle luxury brand.

To mark a year of celebration, every Ghost and Phantom produced at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood will bear a Spirit of Ecstasy with the inscription Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary – 2011. This will be etched into the base of each statuette, in a specially selected font ITC Willow.

A number of events have also been planned to mark this special year. On 6 February – the date on which Charles Sykes' Spirit of Ecstasy design was first registered – Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will host a drive through central London. One hundred contemporary and historic Rolls-Royce cars will make their way through the capital's streets taking in key landmarks en route, such as Berkeley Square and Conduit Street, the current and original homes of Rolls-Royce in London.

"The Spirit of Ecstasy is perhaps the most famous automotive icon, gracefully adorning the prow of Rolls-Royce models past and present," said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "She was an inspiration for the founding fathers of our great company, as well as for owners and enthusiasts through the generations. Today her image continues to inspire and drive those of us who are fortunate enough to work for this unique brand, making the world's most exclusive and desirable cars."

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will reveal details of further Spirit of Ecstasy inspired initiatives and events throughout her centenary year.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Confirms Electric Vehicle

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has confirmed the development of 102EX, a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom, to debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March 2011. The car will tour during 2011, serving as a test bed to gather a bank of research data which will be crucial in informing future decisions on alternative drive-trains for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Rolls-Royce produces cars that represent the pinnacle in luxurious motoring for the world's most discerning customers. With 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), will serve as a working test bed for a global tour that takes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Through test drives, owners will be given the opportunity to experience an alternative drive-train technology and to feedback their experiences, While there are no plans to develop a production version, as one of the company's EX models it will serve to begin a dialogue with existing owners and stakeholders, posing as well as answering questions of its audience.
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FIRST 100MPH ROLLS-ROYCE TO LEAD LONDON TO EDINBURGH TOP GEAR CENTENARY TRIAL

The first 100mph Rolls-Royce will lead a cavalcade of 17 historic Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts from the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, on Sunday 11 September. The historic cars, dating from 1911 to 1922, will be supported by a new Rolls-Royce Ghost, hand built at the Home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood, West Sussex. The event, run by the 20-Ghost Club, will re-enact the 1911 London to Edinburgh Top Gear Trial, which cemented the Rolls-Royce reputation for superlative quality, refinement and reliability.

The 1911 RAC-observed London to Edinburgh Trial was a major test for Edwardian cars. The Trial allowed Rolls-Royce to demonstrate the performance, flexibility and economy of the Silver Ghost, particularly when compared to its arch rival, the Napier. At the same time it broadened the appeal of the car to a younger and sportier clientele, without deterring the traditional aristocratic customer that was at that time the mainstay of Rolls-Royce production. The RAC observers ensured that only top gear was used, including pulling away from standstill, quite an achievement 100 years ago before motorways and metalled roads.

The 2011 re-enactment will recreate the original trial as faithfully as possible, including gear change gates being authentically sealed to show any use of intermediate gears. The event will start at 6.00am from the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall on Sunday 11 September 2011 and will follow as much of the original route along the Great North Road as possible, taking two days to get to Edinburgh. The return journey will end at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in West Sussex on Thursday 15 September, where the drivers will be rewarded with a Grand Afternoon Tea. On Saturday 17 September at 7.30am, the cars will line up at the Goodwood Motor Circuit Grid and then join the Revival Opening Parade lap.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, "Rolls-Royce has always stood for the very best engineering combined with refinement, luxury and, of course, hand craftsmanship and human endeavour. These qualities are the same today as they were 100 years ago. We are delighted to support our friends at the 20-Ghost Club in this remarkably authentic re-enactment and look forward to welcoming them to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood after a successful Centenary Trial."

Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Drive
07-Feb-2011

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London Hosts Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Drive - One hundred Rolls-Royce motor cars took to the streets of London on 6 February 2011 to celebrate a very special anniversary. The date marked the centenary of the world's most famous hood mascot, the Spirit of Ecstasy, which was first fitted to Rolls-Royce models in 1911. The drive started in Belgravia and ended at the Great Conservatory at Syon House in West London, the home of the Duke of Northumberland, making its way past famous London landmarks such as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. The route also passed locations of significance for the Rolls-Royce brand. This included the birthplace of Charles Rolls in Hill Street, Mayfair, the site of the studio where sculptor Charles Sykes is thought to have created his famous Spirit of Ecstasy design on Brompton Road and Berkeley Square, the 21st century home of Rolls-Royce in London.