Rolls-Royce Motor Cars only produced the original, seventh-generation Phantom when full-scale production there began. On January 1, 2003, at one minute after midnight, a unique ceremony saw the first finished automobile presented to its new owner. Since that momentous time, Goodwood has produced no less than 20 different models and modifications, which works out to one for every year.
Rolls-Royce's Goodwood manufacturing facility commemorates the company's first 20 years of production.
A narrative of ongoing development and change told through 20 distinct models
At the Rolls-Royce factory, each has been hand-built since 2003.
Includes EX experimental vehicles, which brought back a designation scheme used in the 1950s.
Outlines the progression of technological advancement and solutions to shifting client needs.
Leads to the arrival of the Rolls-Royce Spectre, which ushers in a new all-electric era.
“Rolls-Royce has always stood for innovation and progress, constantly pushing technical and creative boundaries in the relentless pursuit of perfection demanded by its co-founder, Sir Henry Royce. Our remarkable record of creating 20 different models in our first 20 years at the Home of Rolls-Royce is a direct result of that restless, adventurous spirit. Each of these models is a magnificent achievement in itself; together, they demonstrate our unique understanding of – and ability to respond to – our clients’ changing needs, tastes and desires over time.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars only produced the original, seventh-generation Phantom when full-scale production there began. On January 1, 2003, at one minute after midnight, a unique ceremony saw the first finished automobile presented to its new owner.
Since that momentous time, Goodwood has produced no less than 20 different models and modifications, which works out to one for every year. As the brand works to meet the constantly evolving demands, interests, and preferences of its customers, the Rolls-Royce model family of today is a reflection of two decades of continual innovation and improvement in design, technology, materials, and procedures.
Following the Phantom and its brothers, the Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé, the more approachable Ghost went on to become the marque's best-selling model since its founding in 1904. The product family expanded further with the introduction of the Wraith (2013) and Dawn (2016), the marque's most potent and alluring models, respectively. In 2018, the 'Rolls-Royce of SUVs', the Cullinan, joined them and is currently considered one of the most coveted and in-demand luxury goods in the world.
All models in the current product family, with the exception of the Phantom, are offered as Black Badge variations. This permanent Bespoke series, which today makes up more than a third of the whole output of the marque, was developed for a new type of customer who demanded a more subversive, rebellious interpretation of the Rolls-Royce brand.
The design and engineering teams at Rolls-Royce have created a number of experimental automobiles since 2003. These were given the traditional 'EX' designation, which Rolls-Royce engineers used until the 1950s to ensure secrecy during testing and development, and the recognizable red-on-silver 'RR' insignia. They were crucial to the process of developing some of the most technically significant and commercially successful products in the history of the marque, despite never being intended for series production.
The list also includes two Coachbuild marvels that are the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce's bespoke capabilities. They are individually ordered and totally hand-built, paying homage to the marque's early coachbuilding traditions while utilizing the most advanced modern design, engineering, production, and craft skills to produce real pieces of art.
The culmination of the first 20 years at Goodwood was the release of Spectre. This historic automobile, the first-ever all-electric Rolls-Royce, ushers in a new technological era in which, starting in 2030, every new Rolls-Royce model will be entirely electric. Spectre is not officially among the 20 automobiles produced between 2003 and 2023 because series manufacturing has not yet started; hence, it is not included in the list that follows. However, it serves as both the model family's next evolutionary step and the technical and conceptual basis for all that comes after.