BMW Plans Smaller, Cheaper Rolls-Royce

[BMWDave]

BMW Plans Smaller, Cheaper Rolls-Royce
Date Posted 08-15-2005

GOODWOOD, England ? BMW's development chief Burkhard Goeschel has confirmed a smaller Rolls-Royce sedan is under development to compete with rival Volkswagen's Bentley subsidiary.

The car would be pitched well below the Phantom and would sell for around $300,000, Goeschel said in an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper. But the project is still at an early stage and would not be ready until around 2010, he added.

Rolls-Royce needs the car sooner than that, as the Phantom, launched in 2003, is not living up to expectations in terms of sales. Just 285 were sold in the first six months of 2005, putting the car way behind its target of 1,000 sales for the whole of 2005.

The "hot spot" in the luxury sector is for less expensive cars than the $328,000 Phantom, and Rolls-Royce's former sister company Bentley ? with cars priced between $150,000 and $250,00 ? has made significant gains.

What this means to you: Now the kids can have one to fool around with.

[CaseyNPham]

The kids can't afford them ^_^

Although it would be nice to see something affordable (yeah right) that looks like that.

[ifcar]

As long as they don't try to just give the Phantom styling to a smaller/cheaper car, it should be fine.  

[BMWDave]

As long as they don't try to just give the Phantom styling to a smaller/cheaper car, it should be fine.

Some bargain car at 300K

But yes, I hope Rolls will be creative and traditional on this car.

[mazda6er]

I fail to see how a difference of 28K could make this car "pitched well below the Phantom". Why don't they price it around $250K if this is going to be entry level? 1/4 of a million dollars starting price would hardly "cheapen the brand image" and would better separate the two cars. Seems to me that if people aren't buying the Phantom, they wouldn't buy this new car either unless there is a substantial price advantage.

[giant_mtb]

Lame.    

[BMWDave]

I fail to see how a difference of 28K could make this car "pitched well below the Phantom". Why don't they price it around $250K if this is going to be entry level? 1/4 of a million dollars starting price would hardly "cheapen the brand image" and would better separate the two cars. Seems to me that if people aren't buying the Phantom, they wouldn't buy this new car either unless there is a substantial price advantage.

Well said.  I was also expecting a bigger price undercut than is predicted.

[Raza]

An entry level at 300 grand isn't too entry.  Dropping something to the price of a Conti GT or Flying Spur would be smarter.  I hear rumors of a 3 series based Roller coming out soon now and again, and if they plan on selling a 3er based Roller for 300 thousand dollars, we just may live through the demise of Rolls Royce.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I would like to see a Conti GT fighter that starts at 200K. Remember, Rolls has always been a bit upmarket from Bentley. Not necessarily different (at all) but more expensive to say the least.