Rolls-Royce News: Rolls-Royce Goes Forward On A SUV

[William Maley]

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The day has come to Rolls-Royce. In a letter sent to the press, Rolls' chairman Peter Schwarzenbauer and CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös announced that the luxury automaker would be building an SUV.

“I am proud to confirm that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is developing an all-new, high-bodied Rolls-Royce designed to satisfy the contemporary, highly mobile lifestyles of our discerning clients around the world. I am confident that this new Rolls-Royce will fully deliver on our brand’s promise of supreme luxury while at the same time being Effortless ... Everywhere,” said Müller-Ötvös.

The letter goes onto say that the new model will use an all-new aluminium architecture - most likely the same architecture that will underpin the next-generation 7-Series.

Rolls-Royce didn't announce a timeframe of when we'll see a production or concept model - only stating that development work has begun.

Source: Rolls-Royce

Letter is on Page 2

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AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS ON THE SUBJECT OF A NEW ROLLS-ROYCE

The launch of Phantom in 2003 marked the beginning of the renaissance of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Since then, we have set a new benchmark for what a super-luxury car should be – unique, hand-crafted, beautiful and rare. Often imitated, Phantom has never been equalled and continues to be hailed as ‘The Best Car in the World’ by our customers and media alike.

Twelve years later, after the introduction of successful new models like Ghost and Wraith, Rolls-Royce stands proudly at the pinnacle of British luxury manufacturing, confirming our custodianship of this precious marque.

Now we have reached another seminal moment in Rolls-Royce’s 111-year journey.

Today we confirm that we are developing an all-new Rolls-Royce with exceptional presence, elegance and purpose:

• A car that offers the luxury of a Rolls-Royce in a vehicle that can cross any terrain
  
• A car that meets our customers’ highly mobile, contemporary lifestyle expectations
  
• A Rolls-Royce that is as much about the pioneering, adventurous spirit of Charles Rolls as it is about Sir Henry Royce’s dedication to engineering and innovation
  
• A car that appropriately reflects Rolls-Royce’s brand promise of effortless luxury
  
• A high-bodied car, with an all-new aluminium architecture
  
• A unique new motor car worthy of carrying the Spirit of Ecstasy into the future
  

This new Rolls-Royce will be Effortless ... Everywhere.

Many discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car – and we have listened. At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we are uniquely focused on the desires of our customers and are driven by our own thirst to innovate. So we challenged our engineers and design team, led by Director of Design Giles Taylor, to create a different and exceptional new car.

This car will embody all the values and capabilities that drove our two Founding Fathers to secure Rolls-Royce’s reputation, early last century, by taking top honours in rigorous overland adventures such as the Scottish Reliability Trials, the London to Edinburgh event and the Alpine Trials.

Rolls-Royces conveyed pioneers and adventurers like Lawrence of Arabia across the vastness of unexplored deserts and over mountain ranges. In other parts of the world including Australia, India and the Americas, Rolls-Royces carried their owners over challenging terrain with absolute reliability and comfort.

History sets our precedent and our future calls us to action.

This new journey begins now. We will take our time in developing and perfecting this new concept in luxury. We will include our customers, enthusiasts and media along the way and will keep you informed of our progress.

Until then, rest assured, we are creating a motor car in the greatest traditions of our marque.

Sir Henry Royce famously said: “When it does not exist, design it”.

We are doing just that.

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[David]

This will either be very nice or a total bomb. I cannot see them building an SUV  that is only mid level. just hope it does not look like the concepts.

[smk4565]

That is a bad move, they are a luxury car maker, not a sports car or SUV maker.  Pretty much guarantees now that there will be a Maybach GL600 to compete.

[William Maley]

That is a bad move, they are a luxury car maker, not a sports car or SUV maker.  Pretty much guarantees now that there will be a Maybach GL600 to compete.

 

I think that has been talked about - at least rumored within the past month or so.

[timelord731]

I can see it being similar to a Caddy, but I think it will fail in the end.

[jabay]

This to me is a bad move. I think that they do not know their target market. i do not see the people who are into rolls royce looking at getting a car such as this. Rolls royce people are not into an SUV. I think that this would not really work and i personally would not want a rolls royce SUV.

[balthazar]

That is a bad move, they are a luxury car maker, not a sports car or SUV maker.  Pretty much guarantees now that there will be a Maybach GL600 to compete.

mercedes has already proven they cannot compete with Rolls.

[ZL-1]

This won't be a SUV; it will be a "high-bodied Rolls-Royce"

[rares209]

Well, I think they succeded to make us curious about their SUV, right? I mean, when we think about Rolls-Royce, I personally picture the Phantom and it's hard for me to see their angel on an SUV. I think it is a bad idea for this brand.