Following the planning permission granted to it last year, Rolls-Royce has confirmed that it will spend more than £300m on significantly extending its factory at Goodwood. The firm says it is the ’single largest injection of capital since the plant opened’ and will be used to provide additional space for its Bespoke and Coachbuild projects, as well as readying the facility for its eventual transition to an all-electric lineup.
“This represents our most substantial financial commitment to Goodwood since its opening in 2003 and a significant vote of confidence in the Rolls-Royce marque, securing our future here in the UK,” said CEO Chris Brownbridge, who took over from Torsten Müller-Ötvös in 2023. The former BMW executive has previously stressed the importance of expanding a building that has remained mostly unaltered despite an eightfold increase in staff over two decades.
In 2003, Rolls employed 300 people to produce just one car a day; 22 years later, 2,500 individuals now work at the Home of Rolls-Royce, and it is capable of building up to 28 cars a day. The redevelopment of the site is not geared toward increasing production volume, but making room for the ever-increasing amount of personalisation that the firm makes available to its customers. The bulk of this work is undertaken by the Bespoke service that offers buyers an almost limitless choice of colours and materials - but Rolls is also heavily invested in the much more time-consuming business of accepting standalone commissions under its Coachbuild programme.
“[Last year’s] record Bespoke results demonstrate our clients are increasingly drawn to the marque to create ever more ambitious and valuable motor cars, thereby enjoying the exceptional and highly personalised experience that Rolls-Royce ownership unlocks. This underscores our commitment to creating value for our clients and those with a stake in our business,” noted Brownbridge.
Bespoke models like the Phantom Goldfinger revealed in October have underlined the extraordinary lengths that Rolls is prepared to go to for its most discerning customers, and the improvements at Goodwood - which are reportedly to begin with a new paint shop - are clearly about making the most of those opportunities as the company begins its 121st year.
“In 2024, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars reaffirmed its position as an authentic luxury house by crafting the most complex, personal, and valuable motor cars in its history,” remarked its boss. With site preparation already underway ahead of a three-year building programme - and a second, as yet unidentified EV due to join the Spectre on the production line later this year - 2025 ought to be no less pivotal.
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