The last word in style rolls again

Rolls is boosting its manufacturing capacity and adding a new model. The BMW-owned marque has announced development plans for its Goodwood headquarters and manufacturing facility in the UK to cope with a new Phantom coupe, a production version of the 101EX two-door, four-seat experimental car.

The purpose-built plant will add a second assembly line, with the two running simultaneously and some areas 24hoursa day.

One will produce the existing Phantom models and the other will build the new model series. A second working shift will be introduced in 2009.

The wood and leather shops also will expand, allowing for installation of new equipment including an automated wood-lacquering system.

Manufacturing capacity will also be increased to keep pace with demand for Phantoms. The company sold 22percent more cars by the end of September compared with the same period last year. Forward orders for the four-door models stretch well into 2008, with the Extended Wheelbase model accounting for a quarter of all Phantom four-door sales in 2007.

Orders for the new Phantom Drophead Coupe extend right through next year. Rolls-Royce sold 805 cars last year in more than 50 countries, the highest number for 16 years.

It was the third successive year of growth for the company. Meanwhile, Bentley board member Stuart McCullough said at the recent Tokyo Motor Show that booming sales could force the company to expand.

“In four years our volume has grown from 1000 to 10,000 cars,” he said. “The current volume is closer to where we want it to be, but we may have to change the way we produce cars.

“But we won't make those changes until we are certain the volumes are safe. We're reluctant to push too many cars into the marketplace and cheapen the product.”