Women’s ‘likes’ more important for luxury car makers

Seeking a double digit growth this year, Rolls Royce plans to attract women and younger buyers as these are its hot customers right now who are boosting its sales. Two factors, with cars starting at around Rs 3 crore and going up to Rs 6 crore depending on the level of customisation, only those with serious spending money can afford a Rolls and the growth in the number of female ultra-high net worth individuals is expected to exceed that of males, fuelled by entrepreneurship, albeit on a smaller base, are working behind its sales.

"This expected growth of affluent self-made women is very encouraging," said Paul Harris, region director, Asia Pacific for Rolls Royce. "Buyers now are younger. I would say female interest has doubled, female ownership of our modern products has significantly increased."

Film star Priyanka Chopra bought a Rolls last year, according to industry sources.

"I like the design, which I feel is a marvel that transcends time," Gupta told ET recently. "Every inch of the car is an epitome of superior craftsmanship. The design pays homage to the classical models, but is still contemporary. The Ghost starts silently, and stays silent even when it gathers speed. I find its power of silence remarkable," said entrepreneur Paras Gupta, 22, a director at pre-school chain Mother's Pride, who recently took delivery of a Rolls Royce Ghost Series 2 in Delhi.


Moreover, Rolls Royce will be organising an exclusive women's event in Mumbai this year, said Harris. The events will revolve around the fashion and bridal arenas — no men will be allowed, not even Harris.

He also pointed out that the seven members Asia marketing team is all women. Additionally, the company's Bespoke Design Team at the Goodwood headquarters in the UK has textile design experts Cherica Haye and Michelle Lusby who are responsible for designing exterior paint and leather colours as well as interior textures. In India, the dealership in Chennai is headed by a woman and the company intends to hire a significant female workforce at its sales outlets going ahead.

"We need to adapt and make sure that there are enough women working at our dealerships, so we would be hiring more to cater to future need," Harris said. Besides this, the company is trying to make its communication more suited to a youthful audience rather than those of an older generation, he said.
It collaborated with New York's Pratt Institute, known for its architecture, interior design and industrial design programmes, on the 'Inspired by Fashion' version of the Wraith. The launch event in New York in March 2015 also featured three women fashion leaders discussing change in the fashion industry.

Apart from the Wraith cited above, the Phantom Limelight has also been designed to appeal to women. The Limelight, of which only 25 have been made, features a women's pannier, or storage area, that can be personalised.

Super sports carmaker Lamborghini is also catering to this trend. When it comes to choosing among sports cars, women tip the scales, according to internal research. Globally, celebrity Lamborghini owners include Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and model Deana Uppal.
This is a reflection of women wanting to drive the powerful machines that were once the preserve of men, said Pavan Shetty, head of operations at Lamborghini India.

"The number of women who own Lamborghinis today and the ones who share the cars with their husbands is increasing," he said. "We intend to seriously increase our engagement with women prospects and would like to see more women owning our cars." Harris, who declined to mention a target for sales this year, was asked if 100 cars a year would be possible.

"That number is still the market we see as the potential, with the product lines that are coming in and as long as the rest of the platform remains same," he said. "I think it is possible. Absolutely." He also sees forthcoming models as widening the company's appeal. One is the Dawn, which will be launched globally this year and is likely to reach India by 2016. The Cullinan, the company's first SUV, is expected to be launched in three years or so.

All alike agree that catering to women’s likes is the key to its growth. The market for super luxury cars such as Rolls Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and Ferrari, priced at Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore, posted a decline of 15% to 110-115 units due to sluggish macro-economic factors.

Last year, Rolls Royce sold 4,000 cars worldwide — the fifth record year in a row. But only 40 of those cars were sold in India, down from 91 in 2011. In the luxury auto trade, the marque has unbeatable cachet but the BMW-owned Rolls Royce needs to rebuild sales in the country.

(image credits: motortrend.com)