Rolls Royce struggles to meet demand in India

After an absence of 50 years, the RR badge returned to India and boy were they surprised to know how popular they are over here. In fact, now they are facing another problem in this market. The demand is outstripping supply by miles and the company is struggling to meet its commitments.

Torsten Muller Otvos, Global chief executive of Rolls Royce Motor Cars -

We couldn't keep up with the demand - by the end of last year, we had more orders than we were able to supply.

With respect to 2009, Rolls Royce India registered an astounding sales growth of 400% YOY.

Most of this growth is fueled by RR’s latest entry level model – The Ghost. And Indians are spending even more on customizing their Ghost. The new customers are adding anything from personalized tread plates to interiors and specialized luggage glassware and picnic sets.

I guess it’s a habit that has been passed on to us by the Maharajas who used to customize their Rolls Royces with ivory and diamonds.

The demand is so lucrative that Mr Otvos is making his first visit to India later this week to expand Rolls' dealerships network to Bangalore and Hyderabad.