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An Object of Desire A Star is born Serious Players

An Object of Desire

It's the classic English motor car - a brand that conjures up images of a well dressed gentleman being driven to the office as he sits in the plush leather backseat reading the latest financial news.

But despite such a glowing portrayal, Rolls-Royce is only too aware that they must move with the times.

In an interview that touches on everything from the outlook in the Middle East to the influence of hip-hop stars on the industry, Torsten Muller-Otvos, Rolls-Royce chief executive officer, says the ambition is,through the bespoke service, to give customers more power than ever before. He also reveals the United Arab Emirates is now the biggest market for Rolls-Royce bespoke models with the rest of the Gulf also beginning to buy into the brand.

“At Rolls-Royce we really have two types of sales – those who buy the classic model and those who wish to create a truly unique model through our bespoke service,” says Muller-Otvos.

“In the Middle East we are seeing an increasing demand for the bespoke models with Abu Dhabi and Dubai doing particularly well. This is fantastic for us and shows we are listening to customers all over the world and giving them what they want.

“We have the traditional markets such as Europe and North America but there is no doubt how important the Middle East is becoming to Rolls-Royce and the focus we have on it.

“I am looking at the showrooms we have and which countries we are working in. For example, the decision was made to go into Qatar and the response has been great. Again, it has been the bespoke service that has really captured the imagination.”

The decision to allow Rolls-Royce owners to do almost anything to the vehicle through the bespoke service has raised some concerns among the traditional collectors who believe the cars should retain principles of understated elegance.

“Who is anyone to judge what is good and what is bad when it comes to what people want in a Rolls-Royce?,” says the CEO.

“Our customers are wealthy and influential and from different cultures and countries. It is not our job to tell them what they want but to instead listen to them and make the dream a reality.

“Have we had unusual requests? Yes, there have been many and in the Middle East there is a demand for bright colours and what you would call the bling factor.

“But I like what they ask for as it shows imagination and allows Rolls-Royce to meet new challenges. What are the limits? If it is legal and safe then we will make it happen so in reality there are no limits.”

Often customers will travel to the Rolls-Royce production centre in the English countryside of Goodwood, Sussex, as they take the first step towards purchasing their dream car.

“We have many very powerful and creative individuals coming to see us and when they realise the possibilities of creating a Rolls-Royce that will be unique it sets off a spark inside them.

“Rolls-Royce then delivers that vision and I personally get great satisfaction in watching these ideas being transformed into a car. There is also the brilliant occasion when the Rolls-Royce is unveiled and the keys are handed over. That moment when the customer’s mouth drops open and they say ‘wow’ is what all our work is leading to.

”In 2010, Rolls-Royce built a total of 2,711 cars for customers globally – a combination of traditional and bespoke sales.

They fully expect to release a figure for 2011 showing an increase with the extra effort that has gone into targeting new and emerging markets – which includes the Middle East – being the key driver.

That is why Rolls-Royce offers the bespoke service on both the Phantom and Ghost models with everything from body and interior colour to stitching in the leather seats and design of the gear stick available to be customised.

Rolls-Royce

“Rolls-Royce is a modern brand that moves with the times and we will never be stuck in the past. What we do is retain the quality and reputation we have always had and, with bespoke, allow customers to give it a twist.”

In the UAE, for bespoke sales the Phantom is the most popular model but the Ghost is starting to attract more buyers. This is something Muller-Otvos puts down to a new generation of rich young businessmen and women wanting something that sits more comfortably on the road alongside modern supercars.

“The Phantom is the true classic and the car which when someone aspires to own one day to show they have truly made it,” he says.

“But the Ghost is without question grabbing the attention of the next generation of influential people as it is obviously a Rolls-Royce but one that is very much part of the modern world.”

The influence of hip-hop and American sport culture within the Middle East is being reflected on how those with serious money are choosing which car to buy.

Black or chocolate brown exteriors matched with the same leather interiors are being replaced by crisp white finishes or yellows, reds and bright blues.

The flamboyant boxer Floyd Mayweather is a classic example of someone who lives the bling lifestyle and sees owning a Rolls-Royce as the ultimate example of having reached the top.

The superstar is driven around his home city of Las Vegas in a Rolls-Royce and it is examples such as this which allow the brand to be viewed in around the world as still relevant and a genuine status symbol of wealth and success.

“When you ask me about the influence of hip-hop stars and sport stars then I have to say Rolls-Royce embraces it,” says Muller-Otvos.

“These people have made a big success of themselves and so they have the right to own what they want as much as anyone else.

“Rolls-Royce is a modern brand that moves with the times and we will never be stuck in the past. What we do is retain the quality and reputation we have always had and, with bespoke, allow customers togive it a twist.”

Muller-Otvos was speaking at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California – an event at which classic cars are put on display alongside cutting edge models.

During the trip he unveiled the latest Rolls-Royce bespoke Ghost purchased by famous North American car collector Michael Fux.

The purple convertible model, complete with all white interior, certainly grabbed the attention and shows exactly how the company is moving.

Muller-Otvos’s trips to the Gulf have two major goals. The first will be to assess the best way to drive sales forward and the best new markets to go into – for both traditional and bespoke orders. The second will be to get feedback on the new electric powered Rolls-Royce developed by the company.

“I make regular trips to the Middle East and as you would expect with the UAE being the leader for bespoke sales it is important I spend time there,” he says.

“The Middle East reaction is going to be very interesting and so is looking at our plans for the region as we go into 2012.”