Rolls-Royce has a dilemma on its hands. The British car company is literally the byword for luxury – "the Rolls-Royce of cars", as one executive quipped at a recent event – which is an enviable title to boast.
But Rolls is in a precarious position. When you stand tall, there’s farther to fall – and, in the world of ultra-luxury goods, you can’t afford to slip. The demand for such goods is expanding at a rapid rate, driven largely by emerging markets like Russia, China and the Middle East. Rolls is in the middle of a drive to open up its business to these new publics – a touring art exhibition is making its way around the world to show the craftsmanship involved in building its cars, while the firm was recently the subject of a TV documentary.
Rolls can’t afford to shut itself away and do what it has always done. It has to move with the times and markets. But what if the times and markets are demanding something new? Something that doesn’t fit in with what’s been done before? Something that, if mishandled, could be disastrous?
Such is the problem with the luxury SUV. Manufacturers universally agree that this segment is an untapped resource – Porsche’s success with the Cayenne kicked off a growing demand that shows little sign of abating. Luxury carmakers know that there’s a financial killing to be made, but making it isn’t easy. Porsche worked on the Cayenne for years before it looked decent – fans of the brand were aghast when it first appeared.
Lamborghini has been touting the Urus since the 2012 concept, and while it’s still planned for a 2017 release, Lambo’s parent company Audi is having second thoughts. Worries about demand and the economy are driving their procrastination.
Aston Martin unveiled the Lagonda concept in 2009 to widespread revulsion. Hasty backtracking followed. Lagonda was actually revived earlier this year, but in limited-production saloon form. Bentley’s EXP 9 F concept met with similar snorts of derision, but the Crewe firm gathered customer feedback and will go ahead with an SUV in 2016, albeit with a different design.
These very public batterings are the kind that Rolls bosses are adamant must be avoided. A senior executive told me that the issue is being debated constantly within Rolls’s Goodwood HQ, but that a decision will have to be made during 2015.
It’s arguably a more difficult decision for Rolls than for any other manufacturer. What kind of vehicle should they produce? Unlike Bentley, Rolls is not a sporty brand, so has no use for the sport aspect of a Sport Utility Vehicle. It doesn’t have off-road aspirations either, so the kind of clever technology boasted by Land Rover also has no place.
Then there’s the design. Even a concept that doesn’t quite work leaves a bad taste in the mouth for years, as Bentley and Aston know well. So anything that Rolls puts out, from a sketch upwards, has to be right. Rolls customers are a discerning bunch – they won’t tolerate the besmirching of their brand, either by substandard design or by their products becoming “common”.
There’s another issue: how many to make? Demand clearly exists in developing markets for a Rolls SUV, but too many cars would dilute the exclusivity.
There’s a great deal for Rolls to think about going into 2015. Bosses at its parent company BMW will be keen to reap the huge amount of money that’s waiting for the company that gets the luxury SUV right, but the path is fraught with danger. Anything less than the Rolls-Royce of SUVs simply will not do.
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
New schools in Dubai
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence