Rolls-Royce Invests US$370 Million to Boost Luxury Output

Rolls-Royce aims to meet the increasing demand for bespoke luxury vehicles with a £300 million (US$370 million) investment in its Goodwood, UK, headquarters. This move, the largest single investment in the site since its opening in 2003, is designed to expand the company's Bespoke and Coachbuild programs to better serve its ultra-wealthy clientele.

The luxury automaker recorded its third-highest annual sales in 2024, producing up to 28 vehicles daily, compared to just one vehicle per day when the Goodwood facility first opened. "We are not aiming to produce more Rolls-Royces overall. Instead, we are focusing on creating more special commissions and remarkable motor cars," said Chris Brownridge, CEO, Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke program allows clients to extensively customize their vehicles, while the Coachbuild initiative—available by invitation only—enables customers to design entirely unique models. In 2024, the company increased bespoke content per vehicle by 10% year-over-year, with the Middle East leading demand, followed by North America and Europe.

Rolls-Royce's bespoke projects frequently include elaborate designs and rare materials. Examples from recent years include:

• Solid 18-carat gold sculptures.

• Nearly 870,000-stitch embroideries.

• Holographic paint finishes.

• Mother-of-pearl artwork and intricate light displays.

In February 2024, the company unveiled the Arcadia Droptail, one of four coachbuilt Droptails. The US$31 million roadster featured an intricate clock on its dashboard, requiring over two years of craftsmanship, and an interior crafted from wood that took 8,000 hours to prepare. The vehicle was sold to an undisclosed buyer at a private event in Singapore.

Despite such projects, the company emphasizes that not all bespoke commissions will reach the complexity of the Arcadia. The investment in Goodwood aims to streamline processes and elevate Rolls-Royce’s capacity for customization while maintaining exclusivity.

In 2024, Rolls-Royce sold 5,712 vehicles, a 5% decrease compared to 2023 due to transitions to new models. The company noted that North America was its largest sales region for standard vehicles, with Cullinan, Spectre, and Ghost being the most requested models.

"We have clients in every corner of the world, and the growth in demand for more complex commissions is something we are addressing through this investment," said Brownridge.