Rolls-Royce factory to expand for more bespoke cars

Luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce will expand its Goodwood factory and global headquarters to meet the growing demand for bespoke models.

It will invest more than £300 million so it can construct more highly-customised versions of its cars for its super-wealthy clientele.

The 120-year ancient British brand came under packed control of German carmaker BMW in 2003 and officially opened the site in West Sussex the same year. Rolls Royce says this expansion secures its upcoming in the UK.

Rolls-Royce sold 5,712 cars in 2024, the third highest total in its history.

While that number may seem tiny compared with the millions of cars delivered each year by mainstream manufacturers, Rolls-Royce operates in a highly rarefied economy.

The brand said it “does not disclose prices” but it is understood its cheapest model, the Ghost saloon, sells from about £250,000 upwards. Its Cullinan sports utility vehicle and electric Spectre models are thought to commence at around £340,000.

In comparison, the average UK house worth was £297,000 last year, according to Halifax.

The worth of bespoke models can vary widely. When it comes to the most elaborate creations, the final product can expense several times the base worth of the car.

There are relatively few buyers who can afford to pay so much for a car. Among those who can are celebrities, who often do not mind flaunting their affluence.

Among them are US stars Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj, as well as British rapper Stormzy who was banned from driving after being caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel of his Wraith in London.

For some customers, simply owning a Rolls-Royce isn’t exclusive enough. In recent years, the business has increasingly concentrated on building highly-customised versions of its cars, which can then be sold at even higher prices.

Rolls-Royce describes this schedule as “creating worth for clients through individualised products and experiences and providing opportunities for meaningful personal expression”.

In habit, this has included cars with holographic paint, containing one-off artworks, or featuring intricate hand-stitched embroidery. One model, designed as a homage to the 1964 James predictable returns film Goldfinger, includes features made out of solid 18-carat gold.

Rolls-Royce is not alone in this. Other high-complete manufacturers such as Bentley, McLaren and Ferrari also propose detailed customisation.

But making individually tailored cars, while profitable, is a labour-intensive procedure that requires period and space. At the same period, like other manufacturers the business is preparing for a upcoming in which conventional cars will be phased out and replaced by electric models.

Rolls-Royce said the extension of its factory would “make additional space for the increasingly complicated and high worth bespoke and coachbuild projects sought by clients who define luxury as something deeply personal to them”.

It added that the schedule would “also ready the manufacturing facility for the marque’s shift to an all-battery electric vehicle upcoming”.

The carmaker has already been granted planning permission for the expansion of the Goodwood plant, which was built in 2003 and initially housed 300 workers. There are currently more than 2,500 people working on the site.

“This represents our most substantial monetary commitment to Goodwood since its opening,” said the Rolls Royce chief executive, Chris Brownridge.

“It is a significant vote of confidence in the Rolls-Royce marque, securing our upcoming in the UK,” he added.

As a luxury carmaker concentrated on export markets, Rolls-Royce is insulated from many of the challenges currently facing the wider European motor industry. However, it has been affected by a fall in demand in China, one of its most significant markets.

Earlier this year, Mr Brownridge said rising demand for personalised vehicles was helping to offset that decline.

The announcement comes weeks after another famous British brand generated controversy while setting out its own plans for the upcoming.

Jaguar – a part of Jaguar Land Rover – is to be relaunched as an all-electric marque and moved sharply upmarket as part of a major restructuring at the business.

In December, it unveiled a dramatically styled concept car, which together with a recent logo and a divisive online advert sparked a social media storm – and generated plenty of column inches.