Rolls-Royce has opened its first “Private Office” in the United States, a secret VIP design studio for ultra-wealthy clients who want highly personalized cars.
The Private Office, in Manhattan's trendy Meatpacking District, is central to the legendary British automaker's new strategy of increasing sales and profits by selling more customized, higher-priced vehicles rather than increasing production. Rolls-Royce produced 6,032 cars last year, less than half the production of ferrari, However, it continues to generate strong earnings growth for its parent company bmw.
While Rolls-Royce customers have been customizing their rides for decades, Private Office takes the concept of personalized Rolls to a whole new level. Once selected customers order a car from a dealership, they can come to the Private Office to work with a designer to create a completely customized car, from special paint colors to their favorite fabrics, woods, lighting schemes and other materials.
“They may want the exterior of their Rolls-Royce to match the color of their dog's eyes,” said Chris Brownridge, CEO of Rolls-Royce. “They may want to have interior panels on the car with mother-of-pearl from their private collection. We can make those types of requests a reality by having direct access to the equipment. And the possibilities are truly endless.”
Chris Brownridge, CEO of Rolls-Royce.
CNBC
Rolls-Royce calls its highest level of personalization the “Bespoke” program. Creating a custom Rolls can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sticker price, which for a Rolls-Royce Phantom is just under $500,000, bringing the total sales price of some cars to more than $1 million.
The Private Office is reserved for the most complicated and expensive custom projects. This is not a dealership and no real cars are shown. To enter the Private Office, clients press a black security screen outside an unmarked building and take a secure elevator to the top floor.
With its sleek black kitchen, low sofas, dining table, outdoor terrace, and record player stacked with classic rock and jazz vinyl records, the Private Office looks more like a billionaire's place than a showroom. automobiles. The only clue that this is a Rolls-Royce facility is a row of shelves along the back wall displaying samples of paint colors, threads, leathers, metals and a row of the famous “Spirit” hood ornaments. of Ecstasy” in different finishes.
The syntopia of the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Courtesy: Rolls-Royce
The New York private office is the company's third globally, following Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which opened in 2022, and Shanghai in 2023. The company is about to open its fourth, in Seoul, Korea.
The idea, says Brownridge, is to bring the experience and design capabilities of its factory in Goodwood, UK, to customers around the world. This is especially important as customer requests become more unusual and complex.
A Rolls-Royce customer wanted a car inspired by flowers. The Rolls team created an extended wheelbase Phantom with a headliner covered in more than 1 million embroidered roses. Another customer who loves Hawaii and has a favorite rocking chair made from rare Koa wood wanted a Koa-themed Rolls. Since Koa wood is protected in Hawaii, only dead or naturally fallen Koa trees can be harvested. Rolls spent three years waiting and searching for the right tree, then built a Koa Phantom, with the wood used in the dashboard, center console and doors. The company even made a matching picnic basket and table. It took over 500 hours to create the entire package.
Interior of the customized Rolls-Royce Koa Phantom.
Courtesy: Rolls-Royce
“Many of these customers would never sell their cars,” Brownridge said. “It's very personal and means a lot to them.”
To keep up with the growing demand for bespoke cars, Rolls-Royce is also expanding its Bespoke workshops in Goodwood. Brownridge said the goal is not to produce more cars, but to produce higher-value, more personalized cars.
“As our commissions have become more sophisticated, our business has become more successful,” Brownridge said. “Our mission is really to create value for our shareholders, create value for our retail partners, but most importantly, create value for our customers. Because when you produce a masterpiece for them, it means much more than just a car. I often say that the fact that they have four wheels is almost a nice thing to have, because they really are a work of art.
Brownridge said that when customers build their special Rolls-Royces, they not only visit the factory in Goodwood, but also meet the paint shop specialists, carpenters, embroidery experts and other members of the team.
“All the customers I have met say that what makes Rolls Royce special is that they feel part of a family,” he said. “For us they are not customers, they are part of Rolls Royce. Many of our customers will come to Goodwood and meet the people who make their cars. It's not just about the personal connection with the car. It's the personal connection with the whole team that is producing these magnificent things.
