Rolls Royce Wants to Bring Cars Closer to Indian Buyers

Rolls Royce sees India as a key market, as sales there skyrocketed in the last years. As a result, the luxury car manufacturer intends to open new dealerships across the country, in an effort to bring its models close to local buyers and thus improve annual sales.

In 2010, Rolls Royce sold a total of 80 units in India and, although it doesn't sound too impressive, this is actually an increase of 600 percent compared to the year before. Chinese buyers on the other hand bought 600 Rolls Royces last year, which makes Asia one of the biggest markets for the UK-based brand.

"India is one of the major markets for us in Asia, the second-fastest growing after China... We want to be present where our customers are, so we are looking at enhancing our distribution," Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer Torsten Muller Otvos was quoted as saying by The Economic Times.

Rolls at this time operates only two stores in India, at Delhi and Mumbai, but sites in Punjab and Hyderabad are also under consideration, the company official said.

"I think at least two more dealerships will be added. This year, I think we will see a three-digit number (in sales) in India," he said in a statement.

In the meantime, Rolls Royce gears up for the introduction of the Phantom electric that will see daylight at the Geneva Auto Show next week.

"Around a couple of 100 customers will get a test drive, but this is not a production model," Otvos explained.

autoevolution will be attending the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.