Iconic Rolls-Royce opens PHL showroom as demand picks up

The people behind the iconic Rolls-Royce decided to open a temporary showroom in upscale  Bonifacio Global City in Taguig ahead of next year's target in response to a positive reception by the Philippine luxury car market after "15 captains of industry" expressed strong interest in owning the world-renowned marquee on four wheels.

 

"Due to demand we've seen, we decided we would open an interim showroom and that we didn't want to wait until the final showroom to be ready next year," Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös told reporters Thursday during a media briefing in Makati City.

 

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' first facility is at Block 33, Lot 2, Bonifacio Triangle, Bonifacio Global City, where the first Phantom Series II Extended Wheelbase will be showcased.

 

British Bespoke Automobiles (BBA), which was appointed by Rolls Royce Motor Cars as the official Philippine distributor last June, will host customers in a temporary facility until a permanent showroom opens next year.

^{The Phantom Series II Extended Wheelbase in Bonifacio Global City. Photo courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila/BBA.}

Definitely an important market

The British brand's first operational space allows customers to design their very own, unique Rolls-Royce, said Willy Tee Ten, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila/BBA president.

 

"Commissioning a Rolls-Royce takes time and consideration and we’re pleased to have this space to engage with our customers," Tee Ten noted in a statement.

 

At this point though, the whole show evolves out of the 3rd Avenue and 27th Street facility.

 

Müller-Ötvös said they are "confident that the interim showroom would deliver" strong sales for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars for the time being. The reception was so strong since the dealership was appointed  that 15 "captains of industry" have joined a dinner for customers on Wednesday. He declined to name them.

 

“I've met... already... last night... customer dinner... fifteen captains of industry in Manila,” the Rolls Royce official said. “I can't say the number of reservations and we don't talk about our customers... but rest assured that somebody who comes and attends a Rolls-Royce dinner is at least highly interested,”  Müller-Ötvös said.

 

Days after the appointment ceremony of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila on June 19, entertainment portal PEP and industry magazine TopGear reported celebrity host and car enthusiast Willie Revillame was the first to purchase a Rolls-Royce Ghost, and Philippine dailies noted he was followed by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

 

The Ghost saloon – short wheelbase – sells for P25.9 million a pop, based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price or MSRP while the Phantom saloon model starts at P40 million. According to Rolls Royce Motor Cars Manila, the waiting period for a Ghost saloon is four to five months, and seven months for a Phantom saloon.

 

With such a reception, Müller-Ötvös said the Philippines will play an important role in the company's expansion and growth plan in Asia-Pacific.

 

"It was an excellent decision to enter the Philippines. The Philippines plays quite a substantial part in our Asian strategy and also in our Asian volume development in total,” he said. 

 

“For us it is definitely an important market, otherwise we wouldn't have entered that market.

 

“The arrival of Rolls-Royce in the Philippines signifies our belief in this country’s economy and demonstrates the desire from our discerning customers in this region for the ultimate in super-luxury,” Müller-Ötvös added.

 

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is now represented in 23 cities across Asia Pacific, excluding China. – VS, GMA News