Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 8) - The Chinese market is occupying an increasingly important position in British luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce's business portfolio. Following the world premiere of the Extended-Wheelbase Ghost at last April's Shanghai International Automobile Exhibition, another Rolls-Royce, the Extended-Wheelbase Phantom, made its global debut at the recently concluded Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. According to a report appearing in Beijing Business Today, three new dealerships in China have gained official certification to sell Rolls-Royce cars earlier this year. Five more are expected to gain authorization by the end of this year, increasing the scope of Rolls-Royce's total sales network to 18 dealerships.
The EWB Phantom (pictured) traces its lineage to 2003, when BMW-owned Rolls-Royce resurrected the model name. According to Rolls-Ryce General Manager Marc Mielau, it takes 60 craftsmen and over 450 hours of labor time to design and manufacture a single Phantom. Five meters of embroidery on the car seats alone takes three hours of work to finish.
Last year, China officially became Rolls-Royce's largest market, Mr. Mielau confirmed. The manufacturer's key goal in the country is now to expand the breadth of its sales network. He adds that one of Rolls-Royce's major selling points is the ability to custom design a car to fit individual consumer preferences. Buyers can directly select whatever color they want the body of the car to be painted in. Also, by accessing a simple iPad application, they can take a picture of the color they have in mind, whether it be from a favorite tie or lipstick, and see what it would look like on the car.
