Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited is a owned subsidiary of BMW which was established in 1998. BMW was licensed the rights to the Rolls-Royce brand name and logo from Rolls-Royce PLC and acquired the rights to the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grill shape trademarks from Volkswagen AG. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited is a manufacturer and distributor of the luxury automobile parts worldwide, it also engineers the vehicles. The Bentley Motors Limited subsidiary of Volkswagen AG is the direct successor to Rolls-Royce Motors and various other predecessor entities that produced Rolls-Royce and Bentley branded cars between the foundation of each company. The Rolls-Royce Phantom four-door sedan was the first product offered for sale in 2003.
Rolls Royce has been in use since 1906. The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars subsidiary of BMW AG has no direct relationship to Rolls-Royce branded vehicles produced prior to 2003. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited operates from purpose-built administrative and production facilities opened in 2003 across from the historic Goodwood Circuit in Goodwood, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom. Rolls-Royce Motors Cars Limited is the exclusive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce branded motor cars since 2003. Since 2003, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has expanded its product lineup to include, Phantom sedan, a Phantom two-door coupé and Phantom convertible version and the less expensive Ghost four-door sedan and Wraith two-door coupé.
History
In 1998, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited was created as subsidiary of BMW. BMW took rights from the Rolls-Royce PLC to use the brand name and logo and acquired the rights to the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grill shape trademarks from Volkswagen AG. Rolls-Royce has been producing cars from the year 2003. BMW’s contract to supply engines and components to Rolls-Royce Motors allowed BMW to cancel the contract with 12 months’ notice. Volkswagen would be unable to re-engineer the Rolls-Royce and Bentley vehicles to use other engines within that time frame. With the Rolls-Royce brand identification marks split between the two companies and Volkswagen’s engine supply in jeopardy, the two companies entered into negotiations.
Between 1998 and 2003, Volkswagen produced Rolls-Royce branded vehicles. Volkswagen gives the time to BMW for making a administrative headquarters and production facility on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester, West Sussex to develop the vehicles. After the development of the headquarter, Rolls-Royce develop the Phantom which was the first Rolls-Royce from the new company. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited became the exclusive manufacturer of Rolls-Royce branded cars in 2003. In September 2014, Rolls-Royce announced that a new technology and logistics centre will be built and was opened in 2016.
Models Produced By Rolls Royce
GHOST
Rolls-Royce launched Ghost, a 4-door sedan in September 2006. The Ghost will be smaller than the previous Rolls-Royce automobile launched, the Phantom. Only 20% of the components would be sourced from BMW F01 7 Series, and it will be positioned below the Phantom. On March 2014, Ghost received the facelift, front with new LED headlights and the interior has had an update as well. It was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.
WRAITH
On 5 March 2013, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars introduced a new car named as Rolls-Royce Wraith. The car was introduced as a luxury coupe. It comes with a long bonnet and a sleek roof line, and was a coupe version of the Ghost. It was powered by a 623 bhp, twin-turbocharged V12 engine connected to an eight-speed gearbox. Rolls-Royce had stated that the Wraith would be the most powerful Rolls-Royce motor car to that date.
DAWN
In 2015, Rolls-Royce revealed 4 seat luxury convertible named as the Rolls-Royce Dawn. The front grille gets a design recess compared to the Wraith. The front bumper has been extended by 53mm. Also, the car has 21-inch polished wheels. The combined fuel consumption of the Dawn shown by Rolls-Royce is 14.2 litre/100 km or 19.9 mpg. The car has a limited top speed of 250 kmh/155 mph and weighs 2560 kg or 5,644 lb It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.9 seconds.
CULLINAN
Rolls-Royce announced the production of Cullinan, the first SUV in the history of company, in the year 2015. According to Rolls-Royce, “the new SUV will set new luxury standards among cars of this segment”. It is likely to be rolled out in 2017 as a 2018 model.
PHANTOM
Phantom, a 4-door Sedan launched by Rolls-Royce in 2003, this is the first model from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. The car has 6.75 L V12 engine which was sourced from BMW. Parts are sourced from Continental Europe and the UK. Assembly, leather work, wood work, and finishing are carried out in a new factory in Goodwood near Chichester, Sussex.
LOGO
Since 1911, Rolls Royce logo and “The Spirit of Ecstasy” have embellished the radiators of Rolls Royce automobiles. The Rolls-Royce sign consists of two letters “R”, representatives of Royce and Rolls, the masterminds behind their successful brand. The Spirit of Ecstasy is the bonnet ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings. The Spirit of Ecstasy, also called “Emily”, “Silver Lady” or “Flying Lady”. Claude Johnson devised the description of The Spirit of Ecstasy, he described how Sykes had sought to convey the image of “the spirit of ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight……she is expressing her keen enjoyment, with her arms outstretched and her sight fixed upon the distance.”
