gaurav1987
Gaurav Garg
India and China are expected to form the thrust of super-luxury car marquee Rolls-Royce's expansion plans in the next few years, chairman and chief executive Ian Robertson has revealed.
In an interview, Robertson said China had become the company's third-largest market in the past year and India was likely to close the gap soon. The brand returned to India after a gap of almost 50 years in 2005.
"After Independence, Rolls-Royce was not made welcome, along with many other foreign brands," Roberston said.
With the country's recent economic growth, there has come a liberalisation of trade and Rolls-Royce opened its first Indian dealership in Mumbai last year. Another is planned for the capital New Delhi in 2007.
"We are particularly pleased with the return to India because it is the country we've had our longest relationship with," Robertson said.
"Our return was marked by very strong sales and we are expecting at least double-figure growth in the coming years," he added.
He said China's four successful dealerships would be complemented with three more in the coming year. "Growth in Greater China is unique, it's very special," Robertson, who is in Hong Kong for the unveiling of a 14-strong fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms that will ferry guests of the famous Peninsula Hotel around the city, said.
"We've seen 60 per cent growth there this year -- it has overtaken Japan as our biggest Asian market," he added.
For Rolls-Royce, Greater China encompasses Hong Kong, which in the 1990s laid claim to owning the highest per-capita number of luxury cars. Robertson said that title was likely to be held now by Los Angeles, which accounted for a third of all cars sold in the US, still Rolls-Royce's biggest market, ahead of Britain.
While, Hong Kong remains an important sales point, the company's three other Chinese dealerships in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing are propelling the country's sales.
Robertson expects Rolls-Royce to have sold 600 of the cars worldwide by the end of the year, a 16-year record for the former British company.
In an interview, Robertson said China had become the company's third-largest market in the past year and India was likely to close the gap soon. The brand returned to India after a gap of almost 50 years in 2005.
"After Independence, Rolls-Royce was not made welcome, along with many other foreign brands," Roberston said.
With the country's recent economic growth, there has come a liberalisation of trade and Rolls-Royce opened its first Indian dealership in Mumbai last year. Another is planned for the capital New Delhi in 2007.
"We are particularly pleased with the return to India because it is the country we've had our longest relationship with," Robertson said.
"Our return was marked by very strong sales and we are expecting at least double-figure growth in the coming years," he added.
He said China's four successful dealerships would be complemented with three more in the coming year. "Growth in Greater China is unique, it's very special," Robertson, who is in Hong Kong for the unveiling of a 14-strong fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms that will ferry guests of the famous Peninsula Hotel around the city, said.
"We've seen 60 per cent growth there this year -- it has overtaken Japan as our biggest Asian market," he added.
For Rolls-Royce, Greater China encompasses Hong Kong, which in the 1990s laid claim to owning the highest per-capita number of luxury cars. Robertson said that title was likely to be held now by Los Angeles, which accounted for a third of all cars sold in the US, still Rolls-Royce's biggest market, ahead of Britain.
While, Hong Kong remains an important sales point, the company's three other Chinese dealerships in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing are propelling the country's sales.
Robertson expects Rolls-Royce to have sold 600 of the cars worldwide by the end of the year, a 16-year record for the former British company.