Rolls-Royce has established its first U.S. Private Office, a bespoke design studio for ultra-high-net-worth clients who demand extremely personalized vehicles. Tucked discreetly in the heart of Manhattan’s vibrant Meatpacking District, the private space is the latest play by the storied British car company to build sales and profits while selling more customization at higher prices than trying to generate volume. Last year, Rolls-Royce could roll out only 6,032 cars-the lowest number produced in comparison with other rivals like Ferrari-and yet still shows a great profit for BMW.
While customization has been part of the Rolls-Royce DNA for years, the Private Office is an entirely new step into the world of personalization. Clients who have ordered a vehicle can work directly with designers on a car that exactly fits their desires- paint colors, bespoke fabrics, woods, lighting, or just about anything. “They want their Rolls-Royce to resemble the color of their dog’s eyes,” joked CEO Chris Brownridge. “The options are really limitless.”
The company’s “Bespoke” program allows for very extensive customization, which will often add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the price tag. A Rolls-Royce Phantom, already a half-a-million-dollar base price, can easily drive the final cost above $1 million if fully optioned with bespoke features.
It caters bespoke high-value and complex projects, working invisibly without displaying cars. Entry requires a security check before travel in private elevator up to the seventh floor. The interior space is conceptualized more as a personal residence rather than an ordinary showroom that uses beautiful interior decoration, sleek kitchen as well as a glass-enclosed outdoor deck.
This third global Private Office follows those established in Dubai and Shanghai and is due to be followed by a fourth in Seoul. The new initiative represents an extension of the capability in design offered by the Goodwood, U.K. factory to customers around the world, as oncoming demand becomes yet more individualized.
Rolls-Royce pays much focus on personalization, and such efforts have culminated in stunning projects, like the Phantom Inspired by Flowers-which received over one million embroidered roses-and Koa-themed, handcrafted from rare Koa wood. It’s such efforts that make the company not only manufacturing cars but masterpieces that resonate directly with their owners.
They’re not customers to us; they’re part of Rolls-Royce. Brownridge emphasized the worth placed in customer relationships: it’s about the person, so each one feels part of the family at Rolls-Royce.
