Rolls-Royce is officially in the SUV business
Wed, Feb 18 2015
Let's hold on a second while the sound of trumpets dies down.
Nowhere among its 453 words will you find the acronym "SUV," nor the words "sport" or "utility." You will find talk of "an all-new Rolls-Royce," "a high-bodied car, with an all-new aluminum architecture," "a vehicle that can cross any terrain," and references to Lawrence of Arabia traversing mountain ranges and "the vastness of unexplored deserts" and the founders' "rigorous overland adventures," complete with sepia photos. And then there's this: "History sets our precedent and our future calls us to action."
Let's hold on a second while the applause dies down.
We don't know when we'll see it - Rolls-Royce says it plans to take its time getting it right, to create a vehicle that is "Effortless ... Everywhere." We would believe any date we read about, though; not even two years ago we were told a Rolls-Royce SUV hadn't even been discussed since such a vehicle couldn't fit into the brand ethos, not even a year ago the company's head designer had narrowed it down to "a shooting brake, not a crossover with a sloping roof. A proper SUV," with the Ghost platform for support and a speculated release date of 2017. If they brought a near-production-ready sample to the Frankfurt Motor Show this year, we wouldn't be surprised. We sincerely hope that, like the image, it comes with a man to shovel any obstacles out of the way.
Gather round the dais and enjoy the press release below. It's a whole new world.
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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
18.02.2015 -- 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.
18.02.2015 -- 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.
Featured Gallery Rolls-Royce SUV announcement
- Rolls-Royce
- SUV
- Luxury
By Jonathon Ramsey
See also: Rolls-Royce bringing one-off Serenity to Geneva, Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017, Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC gets special Nighthawk treatment.