Rolls Royce to require record number of Apprentices for 2015.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the company is seeking a record number of candidates for its 2015 Apprenticeship Programme. 16 places are available, the highest number of annual apprenticeships since the programme launched in 2006.

The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Apprenticeship Programme provides people aged 16-24 with the opportunity to train with the Goodwood-based manufacturer of the world’s best-selling super-luxury cars. The apprenticeships last for up to four years and combine on-the-job training with class room-based studying for nationally recognised qualifications. The programme has been designed in conjunction with several local colleges. 

The selection process is designed to guarantee recruitment of the very best candidates who have the opportunity to develop with the company following a successful apprenticeship period. The successful applicants will join the programme in September 2015, working alongside skilled craftspeople in leather, wood, paint, engineering and assembly roles. There are currently more than 40 men and women in active apprenticeships at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “I am delighted to announce the start of recruitment for next year’s apprenticeship programme. We are committed to developing future talent at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and I am especially pleased that we will welcome a record number of new apprentices to the business in 2015.”

In addition to the Apprenticeship Programme, more than 100 university students were employed with the company in 2014 on industrial placements ranging in duration from six to 12 months; further positions are likely to be available next year. The company also runs a successful graduate programme, with new positions made available each year.

Potential candidates for all Rolls-Royce Motor Cars positions should apply online at: 

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/careers.

The closing date for apprentice applications is 31 January 2015.

Rolls Royce presents new exhibition, "Inside Rolls Royce", a Free event for all.

• A series of free live exhibitions called ‘Inside Rolls-Royce’ presented by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
• First exhibition runs from 13 November until 16 November at Saatchi Gallery, London

Following the hugely positive reaction to this year’s Channel 4 television documentary about the brand, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has decided to engage directly with fans new and old in a series of free live exhibitions called ‘Inside Rolls-Royce’ presented by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Appropriately for this most popular of great British brands, the first of these exhibitions will open in London on Thursday 13 November at Saatchi Gallery on London’s King’s Road and will remain open for just four days. It will then go on tour visiting major cities around the world throughout 2015.

‘Inside Rolls-Royce’ will treat guests to an unexpected multi-sensory journey through the marque’s world-renowned engineering, design and craftsmanship, providing new levels of insight into the remarkable lengths required to create the world’s pinnacle super-luxury motor car.

“The huge response to the Channel 4 documentary reminded us of the love people from all walks of life have for this standard-bearer of British excellence, and bears testament to the successful renaissance of Rolls-Royce over the last 11 years,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “It is only right that we give those people who support us free access to this great brand, and that this journey around the world begins in London, this most international of cities and the spiritual home of Rolls-Royce.”

Combining the latest technologies and design, ‘Inside Rolls-Royce’ delivers an engaging, interactive experience. Exhibits will be brought to life on visitors’ smartphones and tablets using the latest iBeacon technology. Loan devices will also be available so that nobody misses out. Guests will enjoy a taste of the enormous scope for personalisation afforded to every Rolls-Royce customer through the marque’s pinnacle Bespoke programme.

Each of the nine rooms at Saatchi Gallery will focus on one key aspect in the creation of a Rolls-Royce motor car. The first room brings Rolls-Royce’s palette of 44,000 paint colours to life through an innovative digital display. Visitors can select an item of their choice, place it onto the colour activation table and marvel as the room changes hue to match. They can then step into one of two paint pods each telling the story of the way Rolls-Royce creates paint.

Moving into the second room, visitors will see a breathtaking flying sculpture evoking a hallmark Rolls-Royce feature: the in-door umbrella. Eight individually bespoke umbrellas fly the length of the room, furling themselves by stages, until the last one slots neatly into the door of a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

The next room is inspired by Rolls-Royce Wraith’s starring role in Forza Motorsport 5, released earlier this year. Guests will receive the unique opportunity to configure their dream Wraith, then race against friends or compete for the best lap time. A selection of the highly advanced technology stories behind the Rolls-Royce driving experience are also revealed on touch screens.

Of course, no experience of Rolls-Royce would be the same without the personal touch of the people who bring each Rolls-Royce into existence. Expert craftspeople from the Home of Rolls‑Royce in Goodwood will demonstrate and explain their very particular and highly sought-after skills over the course of the exhibition.

The iconic Spirit of Ecstasy is next to take centre stage – and in a very personal manner. Every visitor will enjoy the opportunity to ‘Be The Spirit’ and briefly transform themselves into the iconic statuette that adorns every Rolls-Royce motor car. A video wall captures and emulates the movements of each guest through a beautiful and luxurious light particle animation.

Descending from this ethereal moment, the next experience celebrates the sheer beauty of the natural wood from all over the world that adorns the interior of a Rolls-Royce. Visitors are encouraged to feel the extraordinary walnut burls, each weighing more than 100kg, which will dominate the next room of the Gallery. These illustrate the highly skilled craftsmanship and various stages of a process that demonstrates the most exceptional use of natural wood in the world. Visitors also have the chance to engage with an intriguing multi-sensory screen that allows them to create their own unique patterns and comprehend the wonder of ‘book-matching’.

In the final room, a hidebound sculpture will deliver a new perspective on the other key ingredient of a Rolls-Royce interior: leather of unequalled quality. This life-size leather-clad speed-form demonstrates some of the skills involved in creating a beautiful interior as well as challenging the visitor to find the sweet spot from where the sculpture reveals its true form as a Rolls-Royce Wraith. 

The pièce de la résistance, of course, comes in the shape of the end result, where visitors will get the chance to get up-close and personal with the world’s finest motor car.

For the Ultimate in bespoke cars, Rolls Royce is THE one to go to.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today revealed that its Bespoke business has become more successful than ever with content on its range of super-luxury cars reaching new heights in 2013. Almost 95% of Rolls-Royce cars purchased last year were personalised by their owners, reinforcing the claim that Rolls-Royce is the go-to luxury carmaker for the connoisseur who demands the best in individualisation.

Global Bespoke take-up increased in 2013 as customers for Phantom and Ghost commissioned higher levels of Bespoke content on their cars. In its first year of availability, 90% of Wraiths were purchased with Bespoke options specified by their owners.

Middle-Eastern owners lived up to their reputation of demanding the most individual cars in the world with 99% of both Ghosts and Phantoms featuring various levels of Bespoke content. Levels of personalisation on Phantom were highest around the world compared to other Rolls-Royce models, with 98% of North American customers and 95% of European owners creating Bespoke Phantoms. In addition, 86% of Asian buyers created Bespoke Phantoms for themselves.

Ghost, by its more informal nature, had a slightly lower Bespoke content outside the Middle East, with 96% of European buyers, 79% of North Americans and 54% of Asian owners individualising their cars.

All three models surpassed their revenue targets in 2013 with an overall revenue increase of 30% over 2012.

“This continuing growth in Bespoke sales in 2013 proves the fact that Rolls-Royce is the home of Bespoke in the luxury world,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The success of this operation here at Goodwood continues to attract more discerning individuals from all over the world to our marque, and reaffirms our decision to expand our Bespoke offer over the last three years. It also means that we have been able to create 100 further jobs for skilled craftspeople here at the Home of Rolls-Royce.”

2013 saw a high number of Bespoke Collection cars unveiled to the world, amongst which the most memorable were the Celestial Phantom, the Alpine Trial Centenary Ghost and of course the Home of Rolls-Royce Collection.

Rolls Royce shows its class in Dubai

• Bespoke Celestial Phantom unveiled
• 446 diamonds extend car’s Celestial theme
• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai presents Phantom Coupé Chicane
• Rolls-Royce Wraith makes Middle Eastern public debut

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Bespoke offering took centre stage at the Dubai International Motor Show with the unveiling of the Celestial Phantom, Alpine Trial Centenary Collection and Chicane Phantom Coupé.

The Celestial Phantom

This extraordinary motor car that first debuted at the Frankfurt IAA to great acclaim and is presented with one important addition; 446 diamonds meticulously hand-set into the door-cappings, centre console lid and rear-privacy divider.

“The Middle East is the largest market for Bespoke in the world and in celebration of this we sought to create something truly special for the Dubai International Motor Show. Every Rolls‑Royce is crafted with only the finest materials, extending the Celestial Phantom’s starry night theme with one of the rarest and most precious commodities in the world.” said Torsten Müller‑Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

This one-of-a-kind masterpiece celebrates a seminal moment in Rolls-Royce history - the handover of the first Phantom to its owner at midnight on 1 January 2003.

The exterior colour scheme evokes the night sky – integrating fine glass particles into the paint to achieve an alluring sense of depth and light. The theme continues when one opens the coach doors of this very special Phantom Extended Wheelbase.

Upon entering the car, occupants are welcomed with a new take on Starlight Headliner, a Bespoke feature that has captivated Rolls-Royce’s discerning customers more than any. The constellations, exactly as they were at midnight on that historic evening, are represented by over a thousand fibre optic lights hand-woven into the Celestial Phantom’s headlining.

The finest leathers, presented in a ‘Dusk’ hue, allude to the inky quality of a cloudless night sky. Bespoke glassware and an exquisitely appointed picnic set express the manner in which a customer’s lifestyle and passions can be seamlessly integrated into their personal, highly Bespoke Rolls-Royce.

Hallmark attention-to-detail is evident throughout. The night-sky constellation arrangement was verified by the South Downs Planetarium to ensure authenticity, whilst hand-stitching to the headliner subtly maps out the constellations.

The exterior is finished with engraving to wheel centres while an uplit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine elegantly alludes to the car’s ethereal theme.

Dining under the stars takes on a new dimension with a themed re-imaging of the famed Rolls‑Royce Picnic Set. The glassware features a beautifully hand-engraved Celestial motif whilst celebrated porcelain maker Nymphenburg was commissioned for the set’s plates, providing an exquisitely presented image of the constellations.

Phantom Coupé Chicane

The Bespoke Phantom Coupé Chicane car also made its world debut. AGMC, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ authorised dealer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates commissioned the car during a recent visit to the Home of Rolls-Royce and the adjacent Goodwood Motor Circuit.

“I wanted to create a motor car that captures the unique atmosphere and history of the Goodwood Motor Circuit. The Home of Rolls-Royce’s connection to such an important centre of British motoring heritage is something that fascinates my customers,” said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai Brand Manager, Mohammed El-Arishy. “The experience of working with Rolls‑Royce’s world-class designers to create the beautifully executed Chicane Phantom Coupé was exhilarating. The creativity, vision, skill and attention-to-detail employed in the crafting of these one-off motor cars is unsurpassed in the super-luxury world.”

The result, the one-of-a-kind Chicane Phantom Coupé, incorporates design cues and materials that evoke Goodwood’s rich motor sport history.

A traditional interior wood-finish makes way for carbon fibre, alluding to the materials used in modern racing machines. This highly contemporary theme extends to the exterior of the car, with the bonnet and windscreen surround finished in matte black, perfectly complementing the Gunmetal exterior paint.

Coloured wheels matching the main exterior paint finish are also specified, the first time such a feature has adorned a contemporary Rolls-Royce motor car.

Hand-crafted details throughout allude to the car’s historic motor racing theme with chequered flag otif stitching to the seats echoed on the exterior with a matching Bespoke coachline. The elegant homage is completed with a metal plaque expressing the car’s name and Goodwood’s famous track layout located discreetly in the glove compartment.

Alpine Trial Centenary Collection

The first ever Bespoke Collection to take inspiration from a heritage Rolls-Royce also debuted at the Show.

A century ago, four Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts embarked on the Austrian Alpine Trials, the most arduous test of automotive endurance of the time. The cars performed without fault, emphatically establishing the marque’s reputation as purveyor of ‘the best car in the world’.

This limited edition Rolls-Royce Ghost features exquisitely crafted design cues that pay tribute to the 1913 Alpine Trials cars.

The exterior paint hue, for example takes close inspiration from Radley’s original Silver Ghost, a car that participated in this year’s re-enactment in Austria of the 1913 Alpine Trial, as part of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Works Team.

The Radley car’s distinct black grille and wheels are also replicated across the collection – the first time a painted grille has adorned a contemporary Rolls-Royce motor car.

The cabin plays host to Bespoke details that elegantly tell the story of the Alpine 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. Each element is meticulously hand-crafted and researched to ensure accuracy, epitomising hallmark Rolls-Royce attention-to-detail.

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 homage.

Rolls-Royce Wraith

Wraith, the most powerful, dynamic Rolls-Royce in history also made its Middle Eastern debut. Following a series of exclusive closed-room events and test-drive opportunities, this highly contemporary expression of Rolls-Royce luxury has already captured the imagination of a new generation of discerning Middle Eastern customers.

With a striking fastback design, performance delivers on the promise of its bold exterior styling. 624 bhp is derived from a twin-turbo V12, delivering a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds. However, Wraith is every inch a refined and luxurious Rolls-Royce, with every possible comfort that one would expect from the pinnacle marque.

Hallmark Rolls-Royce effortlessness is augmented with a suite of specially developed technologies. Satellite Aided Transmission, for example, processes GPS data to predict the driver’s next move, automatically selecting the correct gear for the road ahead. A one-touch call button akin to an on-board valet, allows navigation, telephone and multimedia to be controlled via voice commands.

The finest materials constitute an interior that cossets occupants. Canadel Panelling, a tactile open grain wood named after Henry Royce’s winter home at the Cote d`Azur, sweeps around the lower hull of Wraith’s interior, whilst a Starlight Headliner completes the glamour, bathing the cabin in a warm glow via thousands of tiny fibre-optic lamps hand-woven into the roof-lining.

FRANKFURT - Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to showcase the breadth of the marque’s Bespoke offering at the 2013 Frankfurt IAA with the unveiling of the Celestial Phantom and European debut of the Home of Rolls-Royce Collection.

With nearly every Phantom and 75% of Ghost models featuring an element of Bespoke design, this unique automotive tailoring service has been a key driver in the Rolls-Royce success story.

“As we mark the tenth anniversary of the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, we can reflect on an exceptional period in the marque’s rich history,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Rolls-Royce is a brand that appeals to unique and highly discerning customers who demand a hand-crafted reflection of their tastes, lifestyles and desires. Delivering this through our Bespoke programme has ensured the marque’s rightful place as the pinnacle super-luxury company. Following three successive record years, we remain committed to this approach and are laying down the foundations, through expansion of our manufacturing plant and the creation of 100 jobs to continue growing sustainably.”

The Celestial Phantom

Midnight, 1 January 2003, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ renaissance under BMW Group custodianship is heralded with a whisper. The first Phantom gracefully wafts through a newly completed manufacturing plant into the hands of its eagerly awaiting owner, signalling the start of an extraordinary new chapter in the marque’s storied history. A decade on, this historic moment is celebrated with the unveiling of the Celestial Phantom.

This one-off motor car evokes the spirit of that evening with the elegance and lightness of touch that has come to epitomise the work of Goodwood’s designers and craftspeople.

The exterior colour scheme evokes the night sky – integrating fine glass particles into the paint to achieve an alluring sense of depth and light. The theme continues when one opens the coach doors of this very special Phantom Extended Wheelbase.

“This highly Bespoke luxury motor car is the perfect way for us to celebrate our first decade of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The peerless design and craftsmanship employed in creating these one-of-a-kind masterpieces ensures the marque’s rightful place as purveyor of the very finest luxury goods in the world,” added Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

Upon entering the car, occupants are welcomed with a new take on Starlight Headliner, a Bespoke feature that has captivated Rolls-Royce’s discerning customers more than any. The constellations, exactly as they were at midnight on that historic evening are represented by over a thousand fibre optic lights hand-woven into the Celestial Phantom’s headlining.

The finest leathers, presented in a ‘Dusk’ hue allude to the inky quality of a cloudless night sky. Bespoke glassware and an exquisitely appointed picnic set, express the manner in which a customer’s lifestyle and passions can be seamlessly integrated into their personal highly Bespoke Rolls-Royce.

The attention-to-detail and restless striving for perfection, so intrinsic to the Rolls-Royce brand promise, is evident throughout. The night-sky constellation arrangement was verified by the South Downs Planetarium to ensure authenticity, whilst the reflection of the ‘stars’ in the surface of the rear drinks compartment lid was meticulously planned and designed. Finer detail still, with hand-stitching to the headliner that subtly maps out the constellations.

Of course, the finest materials furnish every Rolls-Royce. For such a special creation, the designers took this principle a step further with the rear privacy divider’s clock replete with four diamonds.

The exterior is finished with engraving to wheel centres while an uplit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine elegantly alludes to the car’s ethereal theme.

Dining under the stars takes on a new dimension with a themed re-imaging of the famed Rolls-Royce Picnic Set. The glassware features a beautifully hand-engraved Celestial motif whilst celebrated porcelain maker Nymphenburg was commissioned for the set’s plates, providing an exquisitely presented image of the constellations.

The Home of Rolls-Royce Collection

The Frankfurt IAA also sees the European debut of the Home of Rolls-Royce Collection Ghost, part of a limited series of Phantom and Ghost models that celebrate the meticulous design, engineering and craftsmanship employed in the production of every automobile that leaves Goodwood.

A ‘Celebration’ motif, presented in hand-crafted marquetry on the front-fascia, marks this landmark year in Rolls-Royce’s history. Using methods akin to the artistry of fine furniture makers, this effect is achieved through a process that marries cutting edge technology with traditional craftsmanship.

Individual pieces of wood are laser-cut to ensure precision. A craftsperson then painstakingly assembles the sections, ensuring they perfectly express the vision of Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke design team. A fastidious process of quality control follows, utilising the world’s most accurate measuring tool – the human eye.

In 2012, hand-built Rolls-Royce motor cars exclusively assembled at Goodwood were exported to all fivecontinents. This global reach is celebrated throughout with a complex compass motif that expresses the Home of Rolls-Royce’s position as a major global centre of super-luxury manufacturing excellence.

The pattern is intricately embroidered to armrests and console lid. 120,000 stitches are applied by precision embroidery technology. Such is the complexity of the pattern it takes over an hour to finish one individual piece.

Co-ordinates engraved into tread plates, the bezel of the Spirit of Ecstasy and umbrella handles further express Goodwood’s place as the only manufacturing centre for the world’s pinnacle super-luxury brand.

A hand-painted coachline, culminating in a half-compass motif completes the exterior. Forming the final stage of a week-long, 22 stage painting process, coachlines are hand-applied by one highly-skilled craftsman using precision-made squirrel hair-brushes. Normally this process takes three hours – however the intricacy of this very special Bespoke design means the time taken to complete the process doubles.