Rolls-Royce Sells Record 4,063 Cars in 2014, Sales Up Five Years Straight

MOSCOW, January 6 (Sputnik) — Rolls-Royce sold 4,063 cars in 2014, a 12 percent increase over last year's figures and a new record for the 111-year-old company.

2014 was the fifth consecutive year of sales growth for the company with total sales rising over fivefold since 2009. Sales increased by 20 percent in the Middle East, by 30 percent in the United States, 40 percent in Europe, 60 percent in Japan and 75 percent in Australia. Sales also grew by 13 percent in the company's traditional home market, the United Kingdom. The United States and China remain the company's two largest markets, with the UAE, the UK and Saudi Arabia rounding out the top five.

Company CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos told Bloomberg that the company's Russian dealerships, which include two in Moscow one in St. Petersburg, showed good sales growth this year, attributing it at least in part to the falling ruble and the desire to invest in hard assets. "We were optimistic for Russia and saw a good development there," the company head noted. RIA Novosti noted that sales in Russia hit triple digits in 2014 for the first time in the country's history, the success attributable in large part to the success of the Wraith coupe. Muller-Otvos told RIA Novosti that the success of the Wraith in Russia was attributable to the ease of driving the car by its owner. He added that in the coming years, more dealerships could open in the country, possibly including one in Ekaterinburg, "if the market remains strong."

2014 was the first full year of sales for the Wraith; in addition, a new, shortened Ghost II sedan was released a few months ago. The company's flagship remains the six-meter long Phantom, whose sales price starts at over £300,000 ($455,500).

In addition to the record sales, 2014 was also a year of record demand for customization and personalization of the luxury vehicles. A record number of cars were ordered featuring the 'Spirit of Ecstasy' emblem, and customers are said to have asked for a wide variety of customization options. One woman is said to have asked that the upholstery matches the color of her dog, while another asked that the company use trees from his estate as interior trim, with a third asking that 400 diamonds be encrusted in the car's interior, The Telegraph explains. Such modifications can add up to 30 percent to the price of a car, whose minimum starting price is around £200,000 (about $304,000 US). In a drive to capture the so-called prestige buyers, the company has been releasing limited editions of its vehicles featuring unique appointments and convenience features.

The overall growth in sales has resulted in the company adding about 200 new permanent jobs to meet with growing demand over the past year; the West-Sussex-based BMW Group subsidiary now employs some 1,500 people.

Muller-Otvos noted that the sales confirm his company's status as "the world's leading luxury goods brand," and noted that he was confident about the company's future, given the continued positive trends of growth in the world's ultra-wealthy market. The total wealth of high net worth individuals whose investable assets amounts to $1 million or more is expected to reach $64.3 trillion by 2016, 22 percent higher than in 2013, according to a report by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management, Reuters has explained.