Rolls-Royce weighs further range expansion

Rolls-Royce is “searching to broaden the brand” beyond its existing models, according to company boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

However, he has confirmed there is “no pressure to grow” the brand, and that such a move would actually “be detrimental” to luxury. “Volumes are nonsense,” he said. “Customers don’t want to see other Rolls-Royces.” The company sold just over 4,000 cars last year, with sales likely to head towards 5,000 after the 2019 launch of the Cullinan SUV, which, Müller-Ötvös said, “will bring new buyers to the brand”.

He is now looking at how best to offer customers a broader model range within existing volumes. To that end, there will be no Phantom coupé or convertible models, their roles instead taken by the smaller Dawn and Wraith. There have also been recent additions of sportier Black Badge variants of those two models, along with the Ghost, and it’s this kind of diversification and deployment of resources that Müller-Ötvös is looking to expand upon.

Müller-Ötvös has also ruled out ever making a Rolls smaller than the Ghost.