The cost of living crisis does not affect luxury cars. The British manufacturer Rolls-Royce achieved in 2022 its highest annual sales ever recorded in 118 years of existence, with a total of 6,021 copies sold. This figure represents an increase of 8% compared to 2021, with deliveries “to customers in around fifty countries”, the brand, which belongs to the German group BMW, said in a press release on Monday.
The figures published by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with sales dominated by the United States, China and Europe, contrast with the rest of the automotive market which is struggling to recover from the pandemic and is suffering from a global shortage of semiconductors. Sales of new cars in the United Kingdom notably plunged to their lowest level for thirty years in 2022, despite a rebound that began at the end of the year, the sector organization SMMT announced on Thursday.
The insolent health of the luxury automobile
But like other luxury brands such as Bentley or Bugatti, Rolls-Royce had already had a record year in 2021. Another example of the insolent health of the high-end automobile, Lamborghini announced in August that it had already pre-sold all of its production until the start of 2024.
Rolls-Royce, founded at the beginning of the 20th century and bought by BMW in 1998, is preparing the launch of Spectre, its first all-electric vehicle, planned for this year, whose pre-orders have “exceeded expectations”, assures the brand. The first deliveries are expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. Rolls-Royce has set itself until the end of 2030 to build only electric vehicles.