Marketing the Most Exclusive Rolls-Royce

Of course RollsRoyce39s marketing strategy is based on open checkbooks and turning cars like this into unique bespoke creations According to Gerry Spahn head of corporate communications for RollsRoyce North America there are about 44000 colors on the palette available to customers a huge selection of leathers and virtually unlimited customization optionsRollsRoyce introduced the current VIII generation of the Phantom at a livestreamed event in 2017 that showcased the model going back to 1925 Fred Astaire had a Phantom I and John Lennon owned perhaps the most famous example of the V with its vivid psychedelic paint scheme pictured at top The V in particular was favored by politicians including dictators and royalty owners included Queen Elizabeth II the Queen Mother the Shah of Iran Yugoslav President Tito and the Governor of Hong Kong as well as LiberaceThe company wants to keep the car exclusive but also make money on every vehicle sold Only approximately 500 Phantoms are built annually and of those a few hundred come to the United States quotIt39s rarefied airquot Spahn saidMost don39t get a chauffeur amp8212 90 percent go to ownerdrivers The typical buyer Spahn said quotlikes to collect Rolls Roycesquot and is very welloff financially He said it39s not a car that dealers typically keep in stock so test drives have to be arranged amp8212 perhaps via a trip to EnglandquotThe Phantom takes 39bespoke39 to a new levelquot Spahn said quotWe can handle any color any interior configuration amp8212 it39s incredible the number of possible combinationsquot He added that 99 percent of the cars are special orders with many unique features Changes are minimal to the model year over year he said and Phantoms represent only 10 to 15 percent of the company39s sales globallySpahn claimed that the Phantom formal and old school as it may seem is actually fun to drive and is attracting younger wealth quotIt39s formal in a fun wayquot he said For instance he noted that two Phantoms in unique Pebble Beach plumage with gunmetal finish were sold right off the stand at an August California event amp8212 one to a buyer in his early 30s and the other in his 40s Younger buyers like the monochromatic treatment but whatever they want they getThe Phantom VIII sits on the same quotArchitecture of Luxuryquot aluminum space frame platform as the company39s SUV the Cullinan pictured below It offers fourwheel steering for the first time in a RollsRoyce Under the hood is BMW39s 675liter V12 engine coupled to an eightspeed ZF automatic transmission The car is handassembled at the company39s plant in Goodwood West Sussex deliveries began in January 2018If history is a guide the Phantom VIII will soon be seen in as many special editions as the VII 20032017 To name just a few drophead coupe aka convertible armored sold in Europe and the Middle East initially twodoor coupe 80thanniversary edition with special features 102 EX one of one a batteryelectric version Year of the Dragon Collection and Aviator Collection There is also the Grey Goose Extended Wheelbase special edition created in partnership with the vodka brand amp8212 just two were made with the Grey Goose logo embroidered on the headrestsThere39s gold in them thar hills The Pininfarina Hyperion went on sale for 5 million after the longterm customer who commissioned it Roland Hall decided he didn39t like it This case actually reveals some of the downsides of hyperexclusivityHall ordered the eccentrically styled car with oneoff features such as special compartments for his hunting rifles and woodenaccented doors The new buyer has to both appreciate those details and be prepared to pay for them It39s not always easy as some owners of customdesigned homes have discovered The Hyperion surfaced in 2012 three years after it was first offered in Dubai Now it was bargainpriced at 378 million By 2016 it was on sale for 2 million Quite a price dropKeep in mind that many of these editions involve nothing more than unique paint colors or upholstery options Exclusivity is key in luxury marketing and other supercar manufacturers amp8212 such as Ferrari Lamborghini and McLaren amp8212 take the same approach The latter39s special operations division actually agreed to produce a short run of MSO X streetcars designed to closely resemble the 570S GT4 racer as requested by California McLaren enthusiasts through its Newport Beach distributor Just 10 were builtRollsRoyce typically produces only 3500 to 4000 cars 4107 in 2018 It39s not looking to become a volume manufacturer amp8212 that39s a job for parent company BMW Still the brand has offices in 50 countriesAccording to the Los Angeles Times RollsRoyce only targets customers with liquid assets of more than 30 million That was more than enough reason to bring it to the Four Seasons where on September 28 Park Place Dealerships is hosting a Luxury ampamp Supercar ShowcasePark Place caters to the wealthy of North Texas selling only luxury brands 17 of them including RollsRoyce quotLuxury imports are big in Texasquot said Ken Schnitzer president and chief executive officer quotWe don39t sell the domestic brandsquot The event itself is about highend living Texasstyle it includes not just fancy new cars but also an antique vehicle show a fashion show gourmet food tasting and wine tastingDon39t expect to see TV commercials for the RollsRoyce Phantom But because people are endlessly fascinated by very expensive cars there are quite a few reviews and commentaries posted on social media This Phantom drive on YouTube has more than 500000 viewsClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Marketing the Most Exclusive Rolls-Royce

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Jim Motavalli

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Marketing the Most Exclusive Rolls-Royce

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