Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Rolls-Royce, UK, Luxury

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce opened its Goodwood manufacturing facility and handed over the keys to the very first Phantom. Back then, parent company BMW was cranking out Phantom sedans at the blistering pace of one unit per day. By the end of 2003, that number had tripled, and today, the Goodwood plant builds a total of 20 Phantoms in sedan, coupe, drophead and extended-wheelbase models during a single day's working hours. Originally, there were fewer than 400 workers on staff responsible for hand-building the big cruisers, but now the plant boasts over 1,400 craftsmen, with 100 of those positions added in 2012 alone.

Rolls-Royce boasts one of the lowest staff turnover rates of any brand in the industry, thanks in part to a successful apprenticeship and internship program, and the company notes 80 percent of its workers live within 15 miles of the facility. You can read the full press release on the 10th anniversary of both the Phantom and the Goodwood plant below.

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Rolls-Royce Phantom celebrates decade of decadence originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/rolls-royce-phantom-celebrates-decade-of-decadence/

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