New London Rolls Royce dealers opens at Stansted, P & A Wood are long serving Rolls agents.

• Brand new showroom and coachwork department represents £2.5 million investment
• Facility complements existing dealership and restoration centre for historic Rolls-Royce motor cars
• Over 2,000 customers and friends attend Grand Opening
• Opening coincides with P&A Wood’s 50^th Anniversary

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London Stansted (P&A Wood) proudly opened its doors to a new state-of-the-art showroom in Great Easton, near Great Dunmow, Essex in grand style on Sunday 1 June.

Over 2,000 customers, friends and honoured guests attended an event that also marked 50 years of P&A Wood as one of the world’s most respected authorities on the restoration and maintenance of heritage Rolls-Royce motor cars. A cavalcade showcasing some of the finest Rolls-Royces from the marque’s early days to the latest model, Wraith, kicked off the proceedings. Guests were also treated to fly-pasts, craftsmanship displays and tours of P&A Wood’s world-renowned pre-war and post-war car restoration workshops. Broadcaster and P&A Wood customer Chris Evans shared the honours with Paul and Andy Wood in a special ribbon cutting to mark the official opening of the new showroom.

The new showroom, named Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London Stansted, and coachworks department are located next to the original site. The development represents a £2.5 million investment by P&A Wood and is testament to a commitment to providing peerless service to customers seeking to acquire and service new and pre-owned Provenance Phantom, Ghost and Wraith models.

The all-new glass-fronted space captures the hand-craftsmanship and attention to detail that’s at the core of every Rolls-Royce, a style which is evident in the marque’s flagship showrooms around the world. The new facility features a well appointed customer Bespoke lounge equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment providing the perfect environment for customers wishing to commission highly personal, one-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce motor cars. The new showroom was unveiled together with an official accessories shop.

“The investment P&A Wood has made in this remarkable facility represents a new and exciting chapter for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London Stansted. The new showroom and adjacent coachworks and restoration workshops are shining examples of our dealer’s commitment to providing an exceptional level of service to every Rolls-Royce customer,” said James Crichton, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Europe. “The thousands of people who have joined us from around the world to witness the inauguration of this new showroom is testament to founders’ Paul and Andy Wood’s globally renowned reputation for engineering, craftsmanship and customer service excellence.”

50 Years of P&A Wood:

After gaining an internship at Rolls-Royce, twin brothers Paul and Andy Wood decided to start their own business working exclusively on Rolls-Royce motor cars in 1967 from a small workshop in Moreton, Essex. With Paul heading up sales and coachwork and Andy in charge of engineering, the business flourished to such an extent that by 1970 they had to relocate to larger premises in Great Bardfield, and then again 18 years later to their current home in the village of Great Easton.

With an enthusiastic 67-strong team, many of whom have been with P&A Wood for over 25 years, the business prides itself on supporting students from the local area with its own internship programme.

It is the only Rolls-Royce authorised accident repair agent for the UK and specialises in sales, service and spare parts for the entire range of models, from 1904 onwards. P&A Wood is unique in that it is able to carry out all aspects of vehicle restoration in-house, from mechanical work, engineering and machining to coachwork and interior trim.

“Customer satisfaction has always been the focus at P&A Wood and we take great pride that everyone who comes through our doors receives the same level of consistent service and support – it will be no different for those who visit our new showroom,” explained Georgina Wood, Rolls-Royce Brand Manager, P&A Wood, and daughter of founder Paul. “My father and my uncle have achieved so much in 50 years and our new, exceptionally high quality premises not only showcases our move into the 21st century but it also separates the classic from the current. It will play a significant role in bringing the Rolls-Royce brand to more customers and enthusiasts in Essex and beyond.”

The exterior of the all-new facility was designed to mirror the original showroom and was built to Rolls-Royce’s exacting brand identity guidelines with input from the brothers on some of the finer details. This includes the use of natural elements such as stone sculptures and plants, elegant lighting and luxurious finishes and furnishings.

Rolls Royce re-lives 1913 Alpine Trial

Final preparations are underway for the recreation of the 1913 Alpine Trial. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Authorised Dealer in Essex, P&A Wood, is playing an essential role in ensuring cars are in perfect condition for what remains one of the automotive world’s most gruelling tests of endurance. 

Eight of the 40 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts participating in the rally, many over a century old, have been meticulously prepared by the dealership’s skilled technicians and craftspeople.  

Since its foundation in 1967, P&A Wood has established a reputation as one of the world’s leading restorers of Rolls-Royce motor cars. The company’s site is nestled in the beautiful Essex countryside and boasts a unique coachwork facility where much of the rally preparation work is taking place.

A new dedicated Rolls-Royce showroom will open in late summer providing a world-class showcase for contemporary Phantom, Ghost and Wraith models.

“P&A Wood plays a vital role in preserving the marque’s rich history whilst contributing significantly to the contemporary Rolls-Royce success story,” said James Crichton, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Europe. He added: “Investment in a new dedicated Rolls-Royce showroom space is testament to a shared commitment to long-term sustainable growth and providing a sales and aftersales experience befitting the world’s leading super-luxury marque.”

On 14 June 2013, 40 Silver Ghosts will depart from Vienna, wafting through Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy before returning on 29 June. The faithful re-enactment celebrates the seminal 1913 Trials, a test of endurance that saw the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost cement its reputation for faultless reliability – establishing the legend of the ‘Best Car in the World’.

The cars will tackle over 1,800 miles over some of the world’s most spectacular and challenging mountain passes.

P&A Wood’s motto; ‘Attention to Detail’ echoes the sentiments of Rolls-Royce founding father Sir Henry Royce who famously implored his staff to “Strive for perfection in everything you do”. This approach has earned them much success in concourse events across the globe – with over 100 awards won to date.

“This is an extraordinarily busy time for the workshop,” said Georgina Wood, P&A Wood. Adding: “Eight cars have been sent here from around the world for their final preparations, many of which over a century old. However, such is the enduring engineering integrity of a Rolls-Royce, I am certain they will negotiate the challenging Alpine roads as effortlessly as they did 100 years ago.”

The 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Collection

Echoing events a century ago, a Rolls-Royce Works Team will take part in the rally. The original ‘James Radley’ 1913 Silver Ghost will be joined by a contemporary homage created by Bespoke designers and craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England.

Finished in an exterior hue that takes inspiration from the Radley car, the 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Ghost features exquisitely crafted Bespoke touches that elegantly tell the story of the 1913 Trial.

The clock displays the stages of the rally and timings, whilst inlays to rear picnic tables and the front fascia express the topography and distances of the Alpine route.

A hand-painted coachline referencing the four Rolls-Royce motor cars that took part in the rally and headlining, colour-matched to the hood of Radley’s car, completes a beautiful tribute.