Rolls-Royce has opened its first “Private Office” in the United States, a secret VIP design studio for wealthy clients who want highly personal cars.
The private office, located in Manhattan's trendy Meatpacking District, is central to the legendary British automaker's new strategy of increasing sales and profits from selling more customized, higher-priced cars rather than increasing production. Rolls-Royce produced 6,032 cars last year, less than half its production ferrari, However, it continues to deliver strong earnings growth for its parent company BMW.
While Rolls-Royce customers have been customizing their cars for decades, the Private Office takes the concept of custom Rolls-Royce to a whole new level. Once select customers order a vehicle from a dealer, they can go into the private office to work with a designer to create a completely customized vehicle – from special paint colors to their favorite fabrics, woods, lighting systems 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 car interior panels with mother-of-pearl from their own collection. We can fulfill this type of request with direct access to the team. The possibilities are truly endless.”
Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge.
CNBC
Rolls-Royce calls its highest level of personalization its “Bespoke” programme. Creating a bespoke 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 selling price of some cars to more than $1 million.
The private office is for the more complex – and more expensive – custom projects. It is not a dealership and there are no actual cars on display. To enter the private office, clients tap 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 turntables containing vinyl collections of classic rock and jazz, the private office looks more like a billionaire's home than a car showroom. The only hint that it's a Rolls-Royce facility is a row of shelves along the back wall displaying samples of paint colours, threads, leathers and metals and a row of the iconic 'Spirit of Ecstasy' hood ornaments in various finishes.
Rolls Royce Phantom Centopia.
Courtesy: Rolls-Royce
The New York office is the company's third globally, following Dubai, UAE, which opened in 2022, and Shanghai in 2023. The company is about to open its fourth office in Seoul, Korea.
The idea, says Brownridge, is to bring the expertise and design capability of Goodwood's UK factory to customers around the world. This is especially important as customer demands become more exotic and complex.
A Rolls-Royce customer wanted a car inspired by flowers. The Rolls team created an extended-wheelbase Phantom with a roof covered in more than a million embroidered roses. Another customer who loves Hawaii and had a favorite rocking chair made from rare Koa wood wanted Koa-shaped rolls. Because 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 the Koa Phantom, using the wood used for the dashboard, center console and doors. The company even made a matching picnic basket and table. The entire package took over 500 hours to create.
Interior design of a custom Rolls-Royce Cowa Phantom.
Courtesy: Rolls-Royce
“A lot of these customers will 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 dedicated workshops at Goodwood. The goal is not to produce more cars, but rather to produce higher-value, more personalized cars, Brownridge said.
“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 so much more than just a car. I often say that the fact that it has four wheels is “Almost beautiful, because it really is a work of art.”
When customers build their own Rolls-Royce, they not only visit the factory in Goodwood, but also meet paint shop specialists, woodworkers, embroidery experts and other members of the team, Brownridge said.
“All the customers I meet say that what makes Rolls-Royce special is that they feel part of a family,” he said. “They're not customers of ours, they're part of Rolls-Royce. Many of our customers will come to Goodwood, and they'll know the people who build their cars. It's not just a personal connection to the car. It's also a personal connection to the whole team that produces these wonderful things.”
