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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös describes the Qatari market as extremely important to the success of the company. |
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that 2011 represented a record-breaking year for the high-end luxury brand, after the company achieved its highest number of sales throughout its 107-year history.
Rolls-Royce delivered 3,538 cars to customers in 2011, representing a 31% increase compared to 2010, with the Middle East registering an average growth of 23% and Qatar managing an individual increase of 36%.
Gulf Times spoke to Rolls-Royce CEO, Torsten Müller-?tv?s, about the significance of the local market to the highly renowned British brand, and whether the outlook for 2012 is as positive as the last 12 months proved to be.
“There are a couple of different factors behind this success story,” he said, adding: “We introduced the Ghost two years ago which proves to be successful all around the world and introduces a completely different new league of customers to Rolls-Royce.”
“Another factor is that we constantly enhance our worldwide dealer network and we are consistently seeking opportunities all over the world and tapping into markets where we have never been,” he said, explaining that the brand opened dealerships in Brazil and Chile in spring 2011.
“In the beginning of last year, when we saw the Arab Spring, it was quite irritating and boring for us, but I was so pleased at how the whole Middle East market area came back so strong last year,” said Müller-?tv?s.
“Especially Qatar, which is a very important market and in Doha we have one of the prettiest and most fabulous Rolls-Royce dealerships in the world,” he said, adding: “The Middle East stands for our most beautiful and most highly bespoke cars in the world, and every car which goes there is very highly bespoke.”
“I think there is even more potential to come in Qatar, especially with the World Cup which is fantastic, and I am looking forward to developing the potential from that,” he added.
Although Europe as a whole represents a “shaky and unpredictable” market, the UK and Germany remained strong last year. However, Müller-?tv?s noted: “The forecast for 2012 is difficult, but it’s probably not a very encouraging picture we will see over the next few months in Europe.”
He argued that the US is witnessing something of a recovery at the moment, which points towards a stronger market there in the future.
And Asia’s growth rate is more than likely to slow, although the market will continue to grow, according to Müller-?tv?s, highlighting the importance of growing into new markets across the globe.
The CEO also said that the British origins of the luxury brand are instrumental to its enduring reputation and popularity around the world.
“The ‘British-ness’ and the British soul of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is of unbelievable importance to that success and the reason that we manufacture those cars only in Britain and will only manufacture them in Britain,” he said, adding: “Our workforce is 80% British and we definitely keep up the British soul of Rolls-Royce while developing the brand further.”
Müller-?tv?s is excited about the future for Rolls-Royce, and referred to the continued growth of a market of “ultra high net worth individuals,” which will contribute towards sustained success and further business development.
And on the back of the best year in the company’s history, the CEO is already looking forward to next year’s results.
“Overall I am optimistic that we will see our next record year in 2012,” he noted, adding that is my intention and we are striving for that, definitely.
