The new Dh1.2 million Rolls-Royce Wraith hits the Middle East next month as Abu Dhabi bids to retain top billing for worldwide bespoke sales.
Abu Dhabi Motors, which was Rolls-Royce’s Best Bespoke Dealer Worldwide for 2012, registered a 39 per cent increase in sales of cars in the first quarter of this year.
The emirate is now the single biggest market for its bespoke designs – the process that allows customers to do anything they wish to a standard Rolls-Royce model.
That was driven by the Ghost and Phantom models’ designs – and the Wraith has the chance to boost sales even further.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, the chief executive of Rolls-Royce, acknowledged the particular buying habits in the Middle East and recognises that, in the past, they did not do enough to appeal to the region.
“Worldwide it is not really enough for Rolls-Royce to rely on the heritage and tradition of the brand – but in the Middle East that is certainly the case more than anywhere else,” he said.
“Across the region there is an emerging band of wealthy new individuals and they want to put their own mark on what they purchase, especially when buying a luxury item.
“At Rolls-Royce we have adapted to that and the bespoke service has made a huge difference, which can be seen in Abu Dhabi becoming the single biggest bespoke market for us. The Wraith can take us forward even more and it is going to be very interesting to see how we progress from October onwards.”
The Wraith starts at Dh1.2m and is the fastest and most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built.
Launched in March at the Geneva Motor Show, the Wraith can accelerate from 0-100kph in just 4.6 seconds.
“We are looking to young drivers in the Middle East to really love the power of this car as it has not only the speed but also the ability to grab attention,” said Philip Harnett, the Wraith’s project manager.
AGMC, the Rolls-Royce dealer in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, has taken delivery of the first Wraith in the region, it said last week.
According to figures from AGMC, in the ultra-luxury car segment of vehicles that sell for more than Dh1m, Rolls-Royce has about 70 per cent market share in the UAE.
Customers will start receiving the Wraith next month.
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