Rolls-Royce is seeing a new kind of customer in India: younger, newer to the super-luxury segment and keen to commission cars that reflect their own tastes.
“We are seeing a new generation of customers alongside our established client base,” said Julian Jenkins, Global Director, Sales & Brand, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, speaking at the opening of the brand’s Chennai showroom with dealer partner KUN Exclusive Cars. He described the newcomers as younger entrepreneurs, members of business families and owners moving up from the luxury-car segment.
India’s trend follows a global one. The average Rolls-Royce driver is now in their early 40s, about 13 years younger than in 2010, Jenkins said, crediting the Spectre electric coupé and the Black Badge range for drawing in younger buyers.
For Indian customers, the draw goes beyond the car itself. Jenkins pointed to a growing appetite for bespoke commissions, in which the marque’s craftspeople turn a client’s personal story and preferences into a one-of-a-kind car.
KUN Exclusive Cars has seen the same shift in southern India. Buyers once leaned towards conventional exterior and interior specifications, but are now asking for distinctive colours, trims and bespoke interiors, a representative of the dealership said.
Rolls-Royce is investing to meet that demand. It has put £300 million into expanding its Goodwood plant, adding space to handle more complex bespoke orders. Customers can also work directly with designers through the brand’s private offices, Jenkins said.
Even as its customer base grows, the strategy stays the same, he added: the brand is chasing value, not volume, with each car built around its owner’s requirements.