Boosted by its new "entry-level" Ghost limousine that was launched in most markets in December '09, Rolls Royce sales surged to 678 cars in the first five months of 2010, recording an impressive 146 per cent increase on a year ago.
The new Ghost sells for around $250,000 compared with $380,000 to $450,000 price tag of the four available variants of the British firm's flagship Phantom series, thus opening a new market for Rolls Royce.
Last year, the BMW Group-owned brand saw its sales fall by 17 per cent to just over 1,000 units which led the maker cut production and fire some temporary workers.
Rolls Royce boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös told Financial Times that the firm's global sales "will be at least double the volume of last year" and that the company is entering into "new league of business."
According to Müller-Ötvös, China, where Rolls Royce has a total of seven dealerships, will most likely surpass in sales the brand's home market for the very first time this year.
"I could see China overtaking the UK this year as our second-biggest market after the US," said the Rolls Royce CEO.
Via: FT (Sub.Req.)
