India is the second fastest growing Asian market for Rolls-Royce, and as the company gears up to further capitalize on the buying potential of Indians, Vikram Gour takes a look at Rolls-Royce's Indian agenda with some quirks thrown in!
Rolls-Royce and India have a history that go hand in hand. Going back to the days of the Maharajas, in all their opulence, the one car that each of them sought was a bespoke Rolls-Royce. Each Maharaja had their car crafted as per individual specifications and some of the most exorbitant cars in the world were Maharaja owned Rolls-Royce coaches. From being done up in fine textiles to fitments of jewels in the interior cabin, Rolls-Royce was able to hand craft each car to suit its master’s tastes, style and match their perfection. That was then.
As the modern history of India unraveled, the story of Rolls-Royce and India found its way into books and in the hands of a few collectors who managed to procure some of these esteemed beauties on wheels. When the company made its way back to Indian shores a couple of years ago, it was time to rekindle an old flame and usher in a new era of Rolls-Royce on Indian soil. Luckily nothing much has changed!
Today's buyer isn't a Maharaja, but the new elite of India, however the tastes remain the same. According to Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, just about every Rolls-Royce car sold in India has been heavily customized. In fact in 2010, where the company recorded a sale of 80 cars in India (a 600 per cent growth over 2009), the bespoke program actually ran out of materials for the market due to the heavy demand! The company claims that they could have sold at least 10 more cars had their bespoke program at Goodwood been properly stocked for the demand.
In 2011, Rolls-Royce is looking at selling over 100 units in India. In India, the company is looking at adding two new dealerships, namely, one in the Punjab area and the other down south either in Hyderabad or Chennai. As far as the bespoke program at Goodwood is considered, Rolls-Royce has put a lot of pressure on the department and has also increased capacity in order to capitalize on the growing bespoke vehicle demand from India.
Just like the Maharajas of an era bygone, the customers today are highly demanding. They are well aware of materials and want their cars to portray their persona. The choice of wood, textile, embroideries and leather are major choice factors. Further to this is the customization for lavish accessories that include bar cabinets and fridges on board the vehicle. With India's growing wealth crowd, Rolls-Royce insists on being on board to cater to the highest of demands.
Unlike other car manufacturers, Rolls-Royce isn't about volumes but exclusivity. India has proved to be an important market for the company over the years and with sales expected to soar over the next few years. Indian customers have proved to be very demanding and the company has taken this very seriously in shaping their own future. With new markets to tap within India, Rolls-Royce is bullish about the scope available and will be following the market trends in India very carefully.
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