Rolls-Royce is preparing to expand its factory at its headquarters in Goodwood, which will allow more personalisation options for its future bespoke models. Chris Brownridge, Rolls-Royce's new chief executive, said in an interview that this new expansion project is important for the Rolls-Royce brand and the UK automotive industry as a whole.
While most brands expand their factories to produce more cars, this is not the Rolls-Royce way. The Goodwood-based brand doesn't go after sales, but rather to meet the unique needs of its customers as well as produce more customized products. "Our strategy for the future is not to increase sales, but to increase the custom content of the car, because that's what makes it a special experience for our customers," Brownridge said.
Rolls-Royce's bespoke department is very important to the brand. Every car Rolls-Royce builds in 2023 comes with some sort of personalisation to a greater or lesser extent, highlighting the importance of continuing to grow the customization division and expanding its already very wide customization capabilities. Brownridge said the existing production lines had limitations. For example, only 15% of cars in the paint shop can currently use a two-tone paint, but customers demand more than 50% of this exterior paint.
Rolls-Royce customers don't like long wait times. In fact, Rolls-Royce has said it won't keep customers waiting for their cars for more than 15 months. "Everything we do is tailored to the individual, and what we're trying to do is create amazing custom merchandise for people and give them a great experience. It's unlike anything I've ever done before," Brownridge said.
The paint shop will be one of the first areas to be upgraded, with Rolls-Royce expecting the entire project to be completed by 2029 at the latest. Over the past year, the automaker has launched countless customizations based on production models like the Cullinan and Shining, as well as one-of-a-kind models like the Droptail. In 2021, a customer commissioned a custom BoatTail, which is rumored to cost around $30 million.
"Last year was Rolls-Royce's most successful year, and it's in a very good place right now, and we can see that there's a very exciting future ahead for the business," Brownridge said. "The foundation for this future has been laid. My job is to make it perfect and define the next chapter of Rolls-Royce.