China: number one for Rolls-Royce

[beijingwalker]

China: number one for Rolls-Royce
January 9, 2012 5:48 pm by Keyur Patel

The US might be the word’s fastest growing car market – but in the luxury arena, no country can keep pace with China.

Rolls-Royce, the British-based carmaker owned by German giant BMW, revealed that in 2011, for the first time ever, China over took the US as its biggest market. Of a record 3,538 car sales over the year, 31 per cent were to Chinese buyers – more than a hundred vehicles more than were bought in the US.

RR’s British-based rivals are also enjoying burgeoning demand from the east. Bentley last week reported that its sales in China had doubled in 2011, while in November, Aston Martin said it expected a quarter of its sales to come from the Asia Pacific region within two years. Italian sports-car maker Lamborghini, meanwhile, told newspaper China Daily that it planned to grow its Chinese dealerships from 11 to 20 by the end of 2012.

Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst at Credit Suisse, told beyondbrics he expected the trend to continue. As China’s super-wealthy grow in number and look to exhibit their wealth, the demand for ostentatious vehicles will inevitably expand.

“A car is a huge way of demonstrating personal wealth – a status symbol,” he said. “Demand for brands like Rolls or Ferrari are driven by strong brand awareness that can be very difficult to replicate.”

Even more so when an already iconic brand gets royal approval. Catherine Middleton arrived at her wedding last April – watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide – in a Rolls-Royce.

Ellinghorst also pointed to South Korea, Turkey and South America as regions where demand was likely to expand rapidly. The proportion of sales across the luxury vehicle universe from “non-traditional” markets could grow to 60-70 per cent of total sales, he added.

Rolls highlighted that growth in its established markets had been strong, too, with North American and UK sales up 17 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

But it is clear that emerging markets were the standout performers. Its Asia-Pacific sales surged 47 per cent, while the size of its Russian market doubled. In the Middle East, where personalised “bespoke” – read, even more expensive – vehicles are particularly popular, sales climbed 23 per cent.

Rolls seems determined to sustain that growth into 2012. Chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös has revealed plans to expand in less-developed markets, including South America. Meanwhile, to mark the Chinese New Year starting from 23 January, the carmaker will roll out its “Year of the Dragon Collection”, with the mythical creatures painted on each vehicle’s wheelbase and embroidered onto the leather.

If you can’t wait, a new Rolls Royce Phantom will set you back around £250,000 – frills extra.

 

[beijingwalker]

Bentley Expects China To Become Its Biggest Market In 2012

DETROIT, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- British luxury carmaker Bentley saw a robust sales increase in China last year and was expecting the Asian nation to become its No.1 market in 2012, Bentley's Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer said Monday.

"In China, we were the first time ever in a situation that we could sell more than a thousand cars," Durheimer told Xinhua news agency in an interview, as the 2012 North American International Auto Show opened in Detroit Monday.

"We ended it up last year at 1,839 vehicles in China. It is a growth of 95 percent in comparison with last year," Durheimer said, adding that China could overtake the United States to become its biggest market in 2012.

Bentley's global sales in 2011 went up 37 percent to 7,003, with strong growth in all major markets. The US remained its biggest market, with sales growing a third to 2,021 vehicles.

China, for the first time, took the second spot with sales nearly doubling to 1,839. The sales in Continental Europe increased 53 percent.

On Bentley's future development, Durheimer said the company was investigating the possibility of adding a third model line -- SUV.

"Especially for our market growth in China, we think it is a great opportunity to have a very upscale and exclusive SUV," he said.

The UK-based company is currently producing only luxury performance cars such as Mulsanne and Continental with two model lines.

They were sold in China at the prices of 3.5 million yuan (RM1.7 million) to 10 million yuan (RM5 million).

With the auto show featuring fuel-efficient cars, Bentley Monday also unveiled new models with V8 engines.

Compared with W12 engine, it consumes 40 percent less energy and produces 40 percent less emissions, Durheimer said.

Even with the reduced engine size, the new models can still accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in less than five seconds and can drive up to a top speed of over 180 mph, with a 8-speed automatic transmission.

Durheimer also said Bentley has no immediate plans to develop pure electric cars, but the market might see a Bentley plug-in hybrid car around 2015.

 

[sss112]

With developing economies and infrastructure, Asian countries would be the top markets of global top Car and Motorbike brands of the world.

 

[beijingwalker]

China already overtook US as world's biggest car market in 2010