Rolls-Royce is set to expand its Goodwood factory and global headquarters in response to growing demand for its bespoke car models.
The luxury carmaker will invest over £300 million to enhance its production capabilities, enabling the creation of even more customised vehicles for its affluent clientele.
Founded over 120 years ago, the British brand became fully owned by German carmaker BMW in 2003, the same year it opened its West Sussex site. The expansion is seen as a key step in securing Rolls-Royce’s long-term future in the UK.
In 2024, Rolls-Royce sold 5,712 cars, a slight dip from its record 6,032 in 2023. While this figure is modest compared to mass-market carmakers, Rolls-Royce operates within a rarefied sector, catering to a small group of ultra-wealthy customers. While the company does not disclose its prices, it is estimated that its entry-level model, the Ghost saloon, starts at approximately £250,000, with the Cullinan SUV and electric Spectre models beginning at around £340,000. For context, the average UK house price in 2024 was £297,000, according to Halifax.
Prices for bespoke models can vary significantly, with some personalised creations costing several times the base price. Rolls-Royce’s clientele includes high-profile celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, and British rapper Stormzy, the latter of whom recently faced a driving ban after using a mobile phone while behind the wheel of his Wraith in London.
The company has increasingly shifted focus to highly bespoke models in recent years, investing in “private offices” in cities such as Shanghai, New York, Seoul, and Dubai, where clients collaborate with designers on unique customisations. This has resulted in “more complicated commissions,” which, according to CEO Chris Brownrich, is driving the need to expand the Goodwood site. The move is part of the company’s broader strategy to offer “meaningful personal expression” to its customers, with recent creations featuring holographic paint, custom artworks, and even solid 18-carat gold elements.
Other luxury brands, including Bentley, McLaren, and Ferrari, also offer bespoke options, though the process is labour-intensive and requires considerable time and resources. Like many manufacturers, Rolls-Royce is also preparing for the shift towards electric vehicles as traditional combustion engine cars are phased out. The UK government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and Rolls-Royce is aligning its production plans with this transition.
While Brownrich did not confirm whether the company would continue producing combustion engine vehicles for international markets after 2030, he emphasised that Rolls-Royce is committed to electric cars, describing the shift as “the right direction” for the brand.
The planned expansion of the Goodwood plant will create additional space for bespoke vehicles and accommodate the brand’s shift towards an all-electric future. The factory, which opened in 2003 with 300 employees, now employs over 2,500 people, with an additional 7,500 working in the UK supply chain. Brownrich assured that the investment in Goodwood solidifies the company’s long-term business prospects, ensuring job security for its workforce.
Despite challenges such as a decline in demand in China, one of Rolls-Royce’s key markets, the company has seen rising interest in personalised vehicles, which is helping to mitigate the downturn. Notably, the average age of Rolls-Royce buyers in China is younger than in other markets, with creative commissions emerging from this demographic.
This expansion announcement follows a similar move by Jaguar, which is transitioning to an all-electric brand as part of a wider restructuring effort. The British carmaker’s recent unveiling of a new concept car and logo, accompanied by a controversial advert, sparked considerable media attention.
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