2012年7月25日 星期三

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce is an English brand; it may refer to:


 
與勞斯萊斯親密接觸
作者:白領時裝有限公司董事長 苗鴻冰


2012722,中國企業家俱樂部代表團來到英國美麗的鄉村古德伍德。這裏是英國國寶級汽車品牌——勞斯萊斯(Rolls-Royce)——的總部。

勞斯萊斯全球CEO托斯頓•穆勒•烏特弗斯特意安排在古德伍德莊園舉行歡迎儀式,在這座占地7萬畝、歷經300餘年、里士滿公爵的官邸拉開了中國企業家訪英之旅的序幕。烏特弗斯在致辭中說:“我很榮幸地站在這裏,歡迎來自中國企業家俱樂部的朋友,你們把英國訪問的首站選擇在勞斯萊斯讓我們倍感驕傲和榮幸。”

第二天一早,我們參觀了勞斯萊斯總部。勞斯萊斯全球溝通總監和製造總監分別介紹了這一品牌自1906年誕生以來的傳奇故事。在專業講解員的陪同介紹下,我們參觀了勞斯萊斯的生產線;在訓練有素的試駕官陪同下,在古德伍德莊園試駕了勞斯萊斯最新車型。

勞斯萊斯是世界頂級豪華轎車廠商,1906年成立於英國,公司創始人為Frederick Henry Royce(亨利·萊斯)和Charles Stewart Rolls(查理·勞斯)。除了製造汽車,勞斯萊斯還是世界上最領先的發動機製造者,波音客機用的就是勞斯萊斯的發動機。2003年,勞斯萊斯汽車公司被寶馬(BMW)接手。

與勞斯萊斯“親密接觸”兩天下來,我有以下一些感慨:

1、勞斯萊斯的成功,得益於它一直秉承的英國傳統造車藝術,以及它對細節和品質絕不妥協的精神。

2、勞斯萊斯與眾不同之處,在於它大量使用手工。每一輛勞斯萊斯汽車要經過60雙手、450多個小時的精心打造,創造出近乎完美的作品。據統計,製作一個方向盤要15個小時,裝配一輛車身需要31個小時,安裝一台發動機要6天。正因為如此,它在裝配線上每分鐘只能移動6英寸。製作一輛四門車要兩個半月,每一輛車都要經過5000英里的測試。

3、勞斯萊斯對客戶的尊重做到了極致。客戶被允許參與到設計中,不光享受了設計的樂趣,更得到了極具個性的專屬產品。

4、品牌的附加值遠遠大於產品本身價格,最重要的是滿足客戶對美好生活的浪漫憧憬。勞斯萊斯賣給客戶的不僅僅是一輛車,更是具有收藏價值和升值潛力的藝術品。

5、勞斯萊斯使體驗成為無聲的推銷工具。一但有過體驗,便期待擁有。每一位試駕、試乘或參觀的人都會產生購買的衝動,是典型的體驗式行銷。

6、勞斯萊斯的工作餐廳是一個平等輕鬆的好地方,CEO、高管 、製造工人都在一起用餐,隨時輕鬆打招呼。充分體現了勞斯萊斯對員工和手工藝的尊重。

7、尊重客戶文化,設計出讓客戶親近並感動的作品。比如:當中國一躍成為全球最大買家時,勞斯萊斯經過對中國文化的深入研究,設計生產了“黑紅幻影系列”和“龍系列“等極具中國美學特色的產品,深受中國人的喜愛。

8、勞斯萊斯通過企業故事講述品牌的歷史和價值。無論是CEO還是陪駕官,一直驕傲地講述關於品牌的不為人知的美好故事,讓聽眾產生無限敬意。這是一種智慧、藝術和行銷的完美相遇。

9、勞斯萊斯雖然是個傳統品牌,但追求領先技術和近乎完美的精湛工藝。無論是獨立空調系統,還是全方位的電子眼預報系統,還是自動關門的小按鈕,無不體現勞斯萊斯一直堅持的高品質奢侈追求。

我在想:當德國的寶馬和英國的勞斯萊斯牽手,他們製造的絕不是一輛汽車,而是人們對美的憧憬和嚮往。我由衷地想說:向你們致敬。



Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit in Goodwood, West Sussex, England. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW and is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904 through Rolls-Royce Limited and Rolls-Royce Motors.

Contents

History

Predecessors

The history of Rolls-Royce began as Rolls-Royce Limited which started manufacturing cars in 1903. The factory at Goodwood is the fifth Rolls-Royce UK based automobile production facility since 1904. The previous four were located in Manchester, London, Derby, and Crewe.

BMW ownership of Rolls-Royce marque

In 1998, owners Vickers decided to sell Rolls-Royce Motors. The most likely buyer was BMW, who already supplied engines and other components for Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars, but BMW's final offer of £340m was beaten by Volkswagen's £430m.
A stipulation in the ownership documents of Rolls-Royce dictated that Rolls-Royce plc, the aero-engine maker would retain certain essential trademarks (the Rolls-Royce name and logo) if the automotive division was sold. Rolls-Royce plc chose to license not to VW but to BMW, with whom it had recently had joint business ventures. VW had bought rights to the "Spirit of Ecstasy" bonnet (hood) ornament and the shape of the radiator grille, but it lacked rights to the Rolls-Royce name necessary to build the cars. Likewise, BMW lacked rights to the grille and mascot. BMW bought an option on the trademarks, licensing the name and "RR" logo for £40m, a deal that many commentators thought was a bargain for possibly the most valuable property in the deal. VW claimed that it had only really wanted Bentley anyway, as Bentley at the time was the higher-volume brand and moved twice as many cars as Rolls-Royce.
The situation was tilted in BMW's favor, as they could withdraw their engine supply with just 12 months notice, which was insufficient time for VW to re-engineer the Rolls-Royce cars to use VW's own engines. BMW and VW arrived at a solution. From 1998 to 2002 BMW would continue to supply engines for the cars and would allow use of the names by VW, but this would cease on 1 January 2003. From that date, only BMW would be able to name cars "Rolls-Royce", and VW's former Rolls-Royce/Bentley division would build only cars called "Bentley." This resulted in 2003 BMW opening a new manufacturing plant on the Goodwood Estate close to Chichester, West Sussex.

Recent

In 2011, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars sold 3,538 cars, up 31 percent on the year before, dominated by Phantom and Ghost models sold, beating the previous record from 1978. The strong sales growth occurred in the Asia Pacific region by up 47 percent, followed by Britain with up 30 percent and Middle East sales up 23 percent.[1]

Cars

Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase in use at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong
1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
  • 2003+ Phantom (saloon)—Launched in January 2003 at Detroit's North American International Auto Show, this is the first model from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, a BMW Group subsidiary having no corporate connection with the previous Rolls-Royce Motors company apart from the trademarks mentioned above. The car has a 6.75 L V12 engine sourced from BMW, but most components are unique to the car. Parts are sourced from Continental Europe and the UK. Assembly, leather work, wood work, and finishing is carried out in a new factory in Goodwood near Chichester, Sussex. The cars are available in normal and extended wheelbase, and prices start at about £250,000.
  • 2010+ Ghost (saloon)—Rolls Royce announced in September 2006 that it will develop a new four-door model named Ghost. The Ghost will be smaller than the previous Rolls Royce automobile launched, the Phantom. Only 20% of the components would be sourced from BMW F01 7 Series, and it will be positioned below the Phantom and with a price range between US$250,000 and US$280,000.[2]
For earlier models, see the List of Rolls-Royce motor cars and the timeline below.

Prototypes

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