In 2015, affluent Indians bought over 35,000 luxury cars, priced in the range of ₹ 30 lakh to a few crores, and that was the highest ever annual sales number.

Well, the appetite for luxury is not something new to India. It has the rich tradition of luxury since the times of Maharajas, Nawabs or Nizams, who were flamboyant spenders on super luxury cars such as British-made Rolls-Royce. Sample this: between 1907 and 1947, Britain produced 30,000 units of Rolls-Royce, of which 1000 were exported to India.

However, the charm for luxury fell post-independence. Opening up of the Indian market post-1991 rekindled the interest in India among the global luxury firms. The recent decade saw luxury brands making aggressive moves to conquer the market again due to rising income levels on the back of faster economic growth.

While Mercedes, Audi and BMW are trying to woo more people in nouveau-rich segment, super premium car brands such as Rolls-Royce is eyeing the ultra high networth individuals.

The British ultra luxury brand is now charting bigger plans to lure more buyers into its fold. Rolls-Royce has just introduced its latest model Dawn, a super luxury convertible that comes with a starting ex-showroom price of ₹ 6.25 crore, for the South Indian market, fastest growing region in India for the company.

This will be its fourth model to be sold in India after Phantom, Ghost and Wraith. However, Rolls-Royce is planning to come with a new version of Phantom in the next 2-3 years. With a price tag of about ₹ 11 crore, Phantom is the most expensive car of the company in India as of now.

Dawn, which is defined as the quietest convertible, is powered by 6.6 litre twin-turbocharged v12 petrol engine that will churn out a maximum power of 563 HP and is capable of achieving 0-100 kmph acceleration in just five seconds.

Rolls-Royce’s increased focus on India will augur well as more and more wealthy Indians are buying marquees that are priced in crores. It is also gathered that normal luxury cars are no longer unique for increasing number of rich people.

Rolls-Royce is not in competition with other luxury car brands, but with makers of yachts and private jets, officials of Rolls-Royce used to say.

Rolls-Royce has started attracting young buyers into its fold in India. “While we see some influx of new buyers who are coming from other brands, we are also witnessing more and more young people showing interest in buying our cars,” Sven J Ritter, Regional Sales Manager, South Asia, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd, said here.

While the company sold its Ghost to a 24-year old buyer in New Delhi a few years ago, even last year it attracted a young buyer in his early twenties.

Elaborating on the customer profiles, Vasanthi Bhupathi, Director of Kun Motors, dealers of the Rolls in South India, said: “while we have a balanced customer profile, young successful entrepreneurs, showing interest in our brand. Going forward, this is expected to grow with rising wealth and aspirations of these people who want to carry an image that have arrived in their lives.

April-June 2016 period saw Rolls-Royce recording highest ever global sales in a quarter in its history at 1,133 units (988 units in a year-ago quarter), mainly driven by the sales of Dawn.

The first of customers for Dawn in India are to come from New Delhi, Mumbai and one from south. “We are presently working with these prospective buyers,” said an official of Kun Motors.

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