Rolls Royce had launched the Phantom Model in China in the “Year of the Dragon”. This model became a big hit in the country and therefore the British car manufacturer has decided to launch a special Indian edition of its luxury cars by the end of the year 2013. This was confirmed by the General Manager for Emerging markets Asia, Mr. Herfried Hasenoehrl, during the launch of the Rolls Royce Wraith in New Delhi.
The company has said that this special edition will have a very limited number of cars and will be developed after coming face to face with the Indian customers and dealers. When asked about this special India Edition, Hasenoehrl said that “This is certainly on my list. Yes, there will be. As of the timing, this very moment, I don’t have it because I want to wait for the right time. It could be for the next auspicious season but I want it to be perfect and you yourself know how diverse India is so if I am making an India edition it has to fit the market and India is massive. We have tons of discussions; we want to make sure it fits perfectly. There will be one, I can’t tell you when, but there will be one and it will be magnificent.”
The Regional Director of Asia Pacific at Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Mr. Paul Harris said that “We will take inspiration from the cars, the history of Rolls-Royce in India, the price, the needs and aspirations of Indian customers to design the India edition.” He also said that “In past years, when India was one of the brand’s largest markets, many bespoke cars were imported into the country. The principle still continues to this day, where we are currently in consultations with existing customers and prospects on the proposed look and feel of the car and appropriate symbols which are emblematic to India.”
This ‘India’ edition will be highly emblematic to the country. This means that it can be anything that is ‘Specific to India’. Hasenoehrl said that it can be the Gateway of India, Charminar or even the national bird –peacock. He said that “This will not work with each and every customer. We are not talking about 30 or 40 cars. We are talking about a very small number. For this number we will find perfect edition. It will be unique, sold only in India and nowhere else.” Rolls Royce has had a great relationship with the Indian market for over several decades now. This brand has been very popular with the wealthier section of the society. It has been reported that the Nizam of Hyderabad owned a dozen of Rolls Royce vehicles which included a 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
We cannot say anything about the Indian edition as if now. It can be the recently launched Wraith or a bespoke version of the Phantom Model which was launched in China.
The company has started their 3rd showroom in New Delhi. The other 2 showrooms are in Chandigarh and Ahmadabad. The company needs to expand its dealership network in the country to achieve higher sales figures. The company has hinted that it is close to achieve a 3 digit sale figure in India. “To achieve this kind of volumes sustainably, you have to have five or six dealerships. We are on the road to achieve this. China sells over 1,000 units a year because they have 22 dealers.” said Hasenoehrl.
Rolls Royce at present has 6 models in the country from Ghost and Phantom families. These cars have been priced between Rs 3.2 crores to Rs 4.9 crores. The Wraith will be launched in Geneva in the next month. It is expected to go on sale in India by the end of 2013.
