Rolls-Royce announced early this year that it will expand its Goodwood headquarters and manufacturing facility, and now comes word that the luxury marque plans to increase sales by 10% in 2008.
Set to commence later this year, the expansion is due to growing sales of the Phantom range of cars and an upcoming new model based on the 101EX show car. The expansion will include the addition of a second assembly line in 2008, with one dedicated to Phantom production and the other to the new model series.
The expansion will also see the renovation of other departments — such as leather and paint — and the introduction of 24 hour working for some specialist areas. To fulfill the new capacity, Rolls-Royce said it would be expanding “the workforce by several hundred” at Goodwood, and will also add a second shift in 2009.
The increased capacity is a direct result of growing demand for Rolls Royce vehicles. This year, production grew by 25% to 1,000 units. The automaker expects another 10% hike next year, largely because of emerging markets like China — which will account for about 100 vehicles, up from 71 units last year.
