While 2007 was a slow year for Maybach, it was a bumper year for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with sales up by 25 percent when compared to 2006. Rolls-Royce managed to shift 1010 cars in 2006, which marks the first time annual sales have breached the four figure mark and is the fourth successive sales increase since the companies launch in 2003.

The Phantom proved to be the top seller, with four door versions (Phantom and Phantom Extended Wheelbase) accounting for 75 percent of the total 2006 sales. Rolls-Royce however, confirmed that it was the exceptional demand for the new Phantom Drophead Coupe which drove the volume increase. In an effort to keep up with the increased demand for Rolls-Royce super luxury vehicles, it was necessary to extend the working shifts at the Rolls-Royce Goodwood based production plant.

“Everybody at Rolls-Royce is delighted with this tremendous result which marks our fifth anniversary in the best possible way. It confirms Rolls-Royce as the most desirable brand in the super luxury market and is a credit to the passion and dedication of our teams at Goodwood and around the world. The customer reaction to the Drophead Coupé has been astonishing, exceeding all our expectations,” said Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive.

North America remained the biggest single market for Rolls-Royce in 2007, accounting for 40 percent of sales and showing growth of 22 percent, while massive growth was seen in the United Arab Emirates and China, which grew by around 70 and 50 per cent respectively.

The Rolls-Royce dealer network expanded to 80 in 2007, with new showrooms including St Petersburg, Kiev and Dresden. The top selling dealers worldwide in 2007 were, respectively, Beverly Hills, London, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and Dubai. Abu Dhabi saw the highest annual increase, with sales more than doubling.

Just goes to show that a stylish and exceptional product, even with an $AU million plus price tag will always be in demand.