For years, Rolls Royce, a subsidiary of the German auto giant BMW, has been building customised cars for elite class, comprising royal families, State Heads and ultra-rich individuals. Recently, the car maker reached out to its customer-base to know their opinion on the launch of a diesel model, which will offer better economy, reduced emissions and higher torque to which the response was a bold 'no'. As it is, the individuals comprising the clientele of the esteemed car maker are not really worried about fuel economy; moreover, a diesel model does not go well with the Rolls Royce tradition of quite, refined and powerful cars.
According to sources, “Customers are not going to cop it. It’s the perception of compromise. They wouldn’t entertain the idea. They said absolutely not, don’t bring diesel anywhere near a Rolls-Royce, we won’t buy it.”
The well-established English auto brand, which is famed for cars that are an epitome of elegance, Rolls Royce now feels that the diesel powertrains does not meet the refinement standards. This is why the company paid heed to its impressive clientele and has opted to refrain from adding a diesel model in their portfolio.
Considering the fact that the rival car makers like Bentley has launched a crossover models to drive in the volumes, it seems a feasible option for Rolls Royce to launch one of its own. However, Rolls Royce does not aim at being a car maker to sell in masses and thus, is not considering developing a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
With rich heritage, Rolls Royce is not the brand that one can associate with being innovative; however, the parent company, BMW has all the facilities to explore diesel as well as hybrid technology. Harnessing these resources, Rolls Royce managed to the grab attention of car aficionados at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show by showcasing an all-electric 102 EX Phantom Electric.
However, the company later dropped the idea of putting the all-electric concept into production after a world-wide tour. According to the company, its customers were unsatisfied with the charging duration and the distance covered in one charge by the 102 EX Phantom Electric. To be precise, the high-profile customers were irked by the idea of inconvenience caused by the longer charging period after the battery of the car runs dry. This very sense of inconvenience and the sense of elegance can be attributed to be the reason behind unwillingness to buy a diesel run Rolls Royce also.
