Rolls-Royce Sets Sales Record in 2008

Talk about bucking a trend! Rolls-Royce reports a sales increase for 2008 of 20 percent, up to 1212 cars from 1010 the previous year. Since BMW's ownership of the name and their launch of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 2003, there has been successive sales increases for each year.

Sales of the Phantom sedan remained strong, while the real increases were seen by the new Phantom models attracting buyers, the Coupe and Drophead Coupe. I suspect those two models went over quite well espessially in the Middle East, where sales this year grew 48 percent. North America continues on as Rolls-Royce's largest market, for a 38 percent share of worldwide sales. 

Normally, I would say Rolls-Royce would have a tall order maintaining that sales pace into 2009, however the brand is readying a second model line to be debuted at the Geneva show this year, called the RR4. Rolls-Royce expects the vehicle, which is rumored to be based on a derivative platfom of the BMW 7-Series, to account for nearly 1000 sales per year. In May of 2008, Rolls-Royce released the official rendering below. 2009 should be an exciting year for the brand. We've heard about it for some time, and I look forward to finally seeing the "Baby Roll-Royce" when it launches.