Site icon The Steeple Times

Bentley Booms; Rolls-Royce Roars – 2022 Sales Totals Surge In Spite Of Cost-Of-Living Crisis

Matthew Steeples
Bentley Booms; Rolls-Royce Roars

Matthew Steeples reports that both Bentley and Rolls-Royce saw sales boom in 2022 in spite of the war between Russia and Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis

Whilst 2022 saw Russian oligarchs having their assets seized and the cost-of-living crisis kicking-in in Britain and beyond for more regular folk, it seems the ultra-high-net-worths (UHNWs) with a penchant for a ‘prestige motor’ didn’t put their pennies away. Yesterday, Bentley Motors revealed their sales last year increased by 4%; Rolls-Royce Motor Cars increased by 8%.

 

With Bentley selling a total of 15,174 cars and Rolls-Royce a total of 6,021, both marques achieved milestone numbers beyond all expectations. Pacific Asia in general and China in particular as locations were key to the expansion of sales of each and electric models were notable in their growth especially.

 

Of his firm’s success, Adrian Hallmark, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors remarked:

 

“In what was another year of unpredictability, the business overcame significant headwinds and demonstrated great resilience to deliver the third consecutive record sales year. This underlines our brand strength, operational excellence and strong global demand by market and model.”

 

“The reaction to the market introduction of our hybrid models, Flying Spur joining Bentayga last year, demonstrate the path the luxury sector is heading, and we are positioned firmly at the forefront. These numbers are validation that we not only lead the sector in sales and market share, but also investment in electric technologies and commitment to being net carbon neutral in 2030.”

 

Of his firm’s success, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars added:

 

“2022 has been a momentous year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Not only did we reveal Rolls‑Royce Spectre, our marque’s first ever fully-electric series model to the world, it was also the first year we ever delivered more than 6,000 cars in a single 12-month period, with strong demand across our entire product portfolio.”

 

“But as a true ‘House of Luxury,’ sales are not our sole measure of success: we are not and never will be a volume manufacturer. Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce, and commissions were also at record levels last year, with our clients’ requests becoming ever more imaginative and technically demanding – a challenge we enthusiastically embrace. The unrivalled ‘Bespoke’ creativity and quality achieved by our team here in Goodwood means that on average, our clients are now happy to pay around half a million Euros for their unique motor car.”

 

“As we mark the 20th anniversary of the ‘Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood,’ these results confirm Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars as a great British success story. Our business is built on extremely strong foundations, and we have secured advance orders stretching far into 2023. And while we are not immune to global challenges and economic headwinds, thanks to our balanced worldwide sales strategy, we are cautiously optimistic that 2023 will be a strong year for Rolls‑Royce.”

 

The Bentley Motors range starts at a base recommended retail price of £233,235 ($283,082, €263,348 or درهم1.03 million) whilst the Rolls-Royce range begins at £162,500 ($197,197, €183,490 or درهم724,280).

 

Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party.

 

Accompanying their 2022 sales announcement, Bentley Motors shared a regional breakdown of where the 15,174 vehicles they produced were sold. Whilst the largest number was in the Americas, their biggest growth was in Asia Pacific – where they increased sales by 23%.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited did not supply a similar breakdown of figures, but instead a series of bullet points illustrating the success of this BMW Group controlled entity.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös with his firm’s forthcoming Spectre model. The car is being marketed as the marque’s first ever all-electric “super coupé.” First client deliveries will take place in the fourth quarter of 2023 and of it, the firm declare it to be “the marque’s first step towards building only fully-electric cars by the end of 2030” and that demand for Spectre has “exceeded the company’s most ambitious expectations.”
Of demand for their models, Rolls-Royce surmised: “In 2022 Cullinan (pictured) consolidated its position as the most in-demand Rolls-Royce, while Ghost was the marque’s best-selling model in the Asia-Pacific region. Black Badge, Rolls‑Royce’s more rebellious alter ego, has witnessed extraordinary growth.” The growth had knock on effects at the firm’s Goodwood, Sussex facility and during the year, 250 new jobs were created there – taking the firm’s total employees to 2,500, “representing over 50 nationalities.”
The Phantom Series III is the latest incarnation designed for “luxury limousine lovers.” For a time, the Phantom was the single model a firm that built just one vehicle per day produced, but now, this self-declared ‘House of Luxury’ has expanded both its range and markets.
Bentley’s base price model, the Bentayga, is some £71,000 cheap than the base price model Rolls-Royce. Of this “luxury SUV,” the firm declares: “It remains our number one selling model, selling more in its sixth year of sales than ever before, accounting for 42 per cent of total sales and establishing itself as the most successful luxury SUV in the world.”
The Flying Spur accounted for 28% of the firm’s total sales in 2023. Of sales of this model, 30% were as hybrids and in the UK, 65% were hybrids.
The Continental GTC convertible is the perfect vehicle for touring the South of France. It and the GT coupé accounted for nearly 30% of sales during 2022 and of it the firm declared: “They have consistent appeal.”
Exit mobile version