Rolls-Royce has opened its first “private office” in the US, a secret VIP design studio for ultra-rich clients who want highly personalized cars.
The private office in Manhattan's trendy Meatpacking District is central to the iconic British automaker's new strategy to boost sales and profits by selling more customized, more expensive vehicles rather than ramping up production. Rolls-Royce produced 6,032 cars last year, less than half the production of Ferrari, Still, the company continues to generate strong earnings growth for its parent company BMW.
While Rolls-Royce customers have been customizing their vehicles for decades, the Private Office takes the concept of a personalized Rolls to a whole new level. Once select customers order a car from a dealer, they can work with a designer in a private office to create a completely personalized car – from special paint colors to their favorite fabrics, woods, lighting schemes and other materials.
“Maybe they want the exterior of their Rolls-Royce to match the color of their dog’s eyes,” said Chris Brownridge, CEO of Rolls-Royce. “They may want interior car trim with mother-of-pearl from their private collection. Thanks to direct access to the team, we can implement such wishes. And the possibilities are truly endless.”
Chris Brownridge, CEO of Rolls-Royce.
CNBC
Rolls-Royce calls its highest level of personalization the “Bespoke” program. Creating a custom Rolls can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sticker price, which for a Rolls-Royce Phantom is just under $500,000, bringing the total sales price of some cars to over $1 million.
The private office is reserved for the most complicated – and expensive – bespoke projects. It is not a dealer and no real cars are on display. To get into the private office, customers press a black security screen outside an unmarked building and take a secure elevator to the top floor.
With its sleek black kitchen, low-slung sofas, dining table, outdoor patio, and record player with stacks of classic rock and jazz records, the private office looks more like a billionaire's second home than a car dealership. The only indication that this is a Rolls-Royce facility is a series of shelves along the back wall displaying paint samples, threads, leather, metals and a series of the famous “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament in various versions are issued.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Syntopia.
Courtesy: Rolls Royce
The New York Private Office is the company's third office worldwide, following Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which opened in 2022, and Shanghai in 2023. The company is about to open its fourth office in Seoul, Korea.
The idea, says Brownridge, is to make the expertise and design capabilities of its factory in Goodwood, UK, available to customers around the world. This is particularly important as customer requests become increasingly unusual and complex.
A Rolls-Royce customer wanted a car inspired by flowers. The Rolls team created an extended wheelbase Phantom with a headliner covered in more than a million embroidered roses. Another customer who loves Hawaii and has a favorite rocking chair made from rare koa wood wanted a koa-style Rolls. Because koa wood is protected in Hawaii, only dead or naturally fallen koa trees can be harvested. Rolls waited three years to find the right tree and then built a Koa Phantom, using the wood for the dashboard, center console and doors. The company even made a matching picnic basket and table. The entire package took more than 500 hours to create.
Interior of the customized Rolls-Royce Koa Phantom.
Courtesy: Rolls Royce
“Many of these customers would never sell their cars,” Brownridge said. “It’s so personal and means too much to them.”
To keep up with the increasing demand for bespoke cars, Rolls-Royce is also expanding its bespoke workshops in Goodwood. Brownridge said the goal is not to produce more cars, but to produce higher quality, more customized cars.
“As our jobs have become more sophisticated, our business has become more successful,” Brownridge said. “Our mission is to create value for our shareholders, to create value for our retail partners, but most importantly to create value for our customers. Because when you produce a masterpiece for them, it means so much more than just a car.” I often say that the fact that they have four wheels is almost a nice-to-have because they really are a work of art .”
Brownridge said when customers build their special Rolls-Royces, they not only visit the Goodwood factory, but also meet the paint shop specialists, woodworkers, embroidery experts and other members of the team.
“Every single customer I’ve met says the thing about Rolls Royce is that it makes you feel like you’re part of a family,” he said. “They are not customers for us, they are part of Rolls Royce. Many of our customers will come to Goodwood and know the people who make their cars. It's not just the personal connection to the car. It's the personal connection with the entire team that produces these great things.
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