Chennai: Rolls-Royce is finding a younger clientele in India. Entrepreneurs and members of wealthy business families are joining its traditional customer base, prompting the British ultra luxury carmaker to place greater focus on personalisation.Globally, the average age of people who drive Rolls-Royces has fallen to the early 40s, about 13 years younger than in 2010. India is following the trend, with existing customers adding to their collections and buyers moving up from the luxury-car segment into the ultra-luxury category, Julian Jenkins, director of sales & brand at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said after the inauguration of the company’s showroom in Chennai.Vasanthi Bhupathi, dealer principal at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chennai, said the new clientele included younger members of wealthy business families and entrepreneurs, as well as customers who had not previously been part of the Rolls-Royce customer base.The Chennai dealership adds to Rolls-Royce’s retail presence in Delhi. The company also operates authorised workshops in Mumbai and Hyderabad, allowing it to serve customers across the country. The new showroom is expected to strengthen its engagement with buyers in southern India.Rolls-Royce’s latest product arrivals in India will include the Spectre and Spectre Series II, which are expected to arrive in Nov. The company is also seeing opportunities across models such as the Ghost and its Black Badge range, which appeal to customers seeking a more dynamic interpretation of the brand.“We’ve had double-digit growth over the last four years in India. My expectation and anticipation, and certainly the investment that our dealer partners are making, is that we expect to see continued growth. However, Rolls-Royce is not about volume; we’re about value,” Jenkins said.Prices start at around Rs 7 crore, with the final price depending on the level of customisation. The standard delivery lead time is about a year, although it can be longer for highly customised vehicles.
Julian Jenkins, director of sales & brand, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars & Vasanthi Bhupathi, dealer principal, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chennai
Personalisation is becoming an increasingly important part of Rolls-Royce’s strategy in India, where the company sees significant potential to cater to customers seeking one-of-a-kind vehicles.The company offers a palette of around 44,000 colours, alongside a wide range of interior trims and finishes. Customers can also engage directly with its designers to create individual commissions through its global Private Office network.Growing customer demand has prompted the company to expand its manufacturing capabilities at Goodwood in the UK. Rolls-Royce has invested £300 million in extending the facility by 40,000 square metres, in addition to its existing 80,000-square-metre footprint, to strengthen its bespoke capabilities.The company said the investment was aimed at meeting increasingly sophisticated customer requirements rather than pursuing higher production volumes.
