Rolls-Royce apparently is discovering what other automakers have figured out-- sport utility vehicles are hot!
So the BMW-owned brand known for luxury is coming out with its own SUV.
Except don’t call it an SUV.
Rolls says its new wheels will really be an “everywhere” vehicle that fits the company’s storied history, noting that Rolls vehicles took Lawrence of Arabia over the uncharted desert and helped travelers conquer regions such as Australia, India and the Americas.
Yahoo Finance’s Aaron Task thinks the move makes sense.
“They’re trying to diversify their customer base and give the customer what they want,” he says. “Look at the success the Porsche has had with the Cayenne-- they sell more SUVs or crossovers than the classic Porsche sports car.”
But with estimates of a price tag north of $300,000, Task notes this is hardly an SUV for your typical soccer mom.
“Maybe the moms or wives or owners of soccer franchises-- I don’t know many soccer moms here in America that can afford a $300,000 car,” he jokes.
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Task adds this new vehicle won’t be a divergence from what Rolls has always been known for.
“It’s Rolls-Royce,” he points out. “From the get-go they are appealing to the person who has everything and just wants something different.”
Rolls-Royce says its customers urged it to make the not-SUV. And Task tips his cap to Rolls for listening.
“I think that’s smart for any company to try to appeal to its consumers and say, ‘Hey, you want X, we’re going to give you X,’” he says. “And if they’re seeing that demand out there-- and I suspect that they are-- I think it’s probably a smart thing for them to do.”
However, Task feels owners of the new Rolls will never be confused with those who buy your typical workhorse SUV.
“Unless it floats or you can drive underwater with it or it flies, I don’t know how practical it is to spend $300,000 on a car,” he says. “It’s still a Rolls-Royce. It’s still for the 1% or the 0.1%.”