Abu Dhabi: Rolls-Royce's Middle East operations have already achieved over 50 per cent growth in sales in the region, said James Crichton, the company's regional director for the Middle East and Africa.
"What's so good about that is the fact that the market this year in the super luxury segment is flat so we managed to achieve that growth in a flat market," Crichton said on the sidelines of the opening of the new Rolls-Royce showroom in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Abu Dhabi Motors, the exclusive dealer for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, has opened a new and larger showroom in Umm Al Nar — the largest showroom for the car company worldwide. It will replace their former facility on the Corniche.
Last year was a record year for Rolls-Royce with a reported 176 per cent growth in sales and 2,711 units sold globally, the largest number they've ever sold, said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, the company's CEO.
In 2010, the Middle East contributed almost 15 per cent of the company's global sales.
Doubling volume
Abu Dhabi Motors sold 100 Rolls-Royce cars in 2010 alone and expects 2011 to exceed last year's sales, Müller-Ötvös said.
"Anything other than double volume sales growth would be a disappointment for us," said Arno Husselmann, general manager of Abu Dhabi Motors. "If I look at where we are year-to-date compared to last year, we've already had substantial growth, more than 37 per cent in the first two months of the year." "Abu Dhabi is a big market for us and the number of cars sold in Abu Dhabi last year shows the potential here.
"For that reason it's a must to be in this location," said Müller-Ötvös, adding that the emirate is among the top five selling dealers worldwide. There are currently a total of eight Rolls-Royce showrooms in the Middle East, two of which are in the UAE. A third showroom in Sharjah is planned for this year, added Crichton.
Limited edition
Abu Dhabi Motors also revealed one of its limited edition of 100 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, hand-built to celebrate a 100 years of the Spirit of Ecstasy, which is the car's mascot.
All 100 cars have already been ordered, 17 of which were allocated to the Middle East region. The price-tag is Dh2.15 million.
Abu Dhabi Mark Court has a job than no one else has. If you have been close enough to a Rolls-Royce, you will notice a thin fine line, also known as a coachline, painted on the car.
Court's job is to paint that line, and he does it free-hand.
"At the moment, he's the only one who does it by hand. There are people that can put the details on the car and then paint inside, but he's the only one in the factory who does this by hand," said James Crichton, Rolls-Royce regional director for the Middle East and Africa.
Court is based at Rolls-Royce, Goodwood where he has worked for nine years.
He gets called out around the world to personalise cars with anything from a company logo to initials.
"It costs around Dh15,000 and upwards to do this," said Arno Husselmann, general manager of Abu Dhabi Motors.
