Rolls-Royce to drive in new range of cars to India by 2010

Super luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce will introduce new range of cars, which it is currently developing, in India by mid-2010 as it looks to cash in on the burgeoning number of billionaires.
The company is also expanding its current portfolio in the country and will launch a new model, Phantom Coupe, this year, expected to be priced over Rs 3.5 crore.

"We are working on an additional range of cars, which will allow us to expand the brand further. The new family will not compete with the Phantom, but it will be the second most expensive in the world," Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Director (Sales and Marketing) Graeme Grieve told reporters here.

"It will come to the Indian market by mid-2010," he added The BMW group company is currently developing the new range of cars at its facility in Goodwood, England.

Rolls-Royce currently offers three products -- Phantom, Phantom EWB and Phantom Drophead Coupe -- in India. These models are priced at Rs 3.15 crore (ex-showroom) upwards.

"With the growing demand for our cars in India, we will be launching here our fourth car in Phantom family, Coupe, around November," Rolls-Royce Motor Cars General Manager (South and East Asia Pacific) Matthew J Bennett said.

The car is priced at about 4,00,000 dollar (over Rs 1.82 crore) in the international market. The vehicle in India would attract an import duty of over 110 per cent.

The company, which reentered India in 2005, has since sold about 30 cars, including 12 units last year.

"This year, we have already sold 12 cars. If we can sell 16 cars in this year, we will be very happy," Bennett said.

After Mumbai, the company today inaugurated its second dealership in the National Capital.

Last year, Rolls-Royce sold 1,010 cars through 82 dealers across the world.