Rolls-Royce on a roll in India

Super luxury marque Rolls-Royce has big plans for India. As Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls Royce Motor Cars revealed on his visit to Mumbai, India is one of the strong growth markets for the manufacturer.

The year 2010 saw the car maker sell 80 units of the Ghost and Phantom in India, a growth of nearly 600 percent compared to its 2009 sales. Müller-Ötvös is confident that Rolls-Royce will be able to improve on this figure and sell over a hundred cars in 2011.

Globally too, Rolls-Royce has seen a boost in its sales numbers. An improving global economic scenario along with the introduction of the Ghost has allowed the manufacturer to sell a record 2711 cars in 2010.

Müller-Ötvös stated the Ghost has been extremely well received and has brought many first time buyers into the Rolls-Royce family. The Ghost accounts for 65 percent of Rolls-Royce sales in India, while the remainder comes from the larger Phantom. Interestingly, the Ghost contributes to three quarters of Rolls-Royce’s global sales.

Rolls-Royce is studying the prospect of expanding its dealer network. At present, there is a dealer each in Mumbai and New Delhi. Rolls-Royce is keen to add at least two more dealers in India. Müller-Ötvös hinted one could be in the north, possibly in Punjab, and the other in the south.

Müller-Ötvös also spoke about the 102EX, a fully electric powered Phantom that will be displayed at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. He described the car as a one-off research model and said there were no plans to put it into production.