Special celebrations for Rolls-Royce
The Spirit of Ecstasy is the iconic bonnet ornament sculpture on Rolls-Royce cars. Photo: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce has two reasons to celebrate; it’s the 116th anniversary of the founding of the luxury brand and at the same time its Goodwood manufacturing plant reopens.
May 4 marks the date of the first meeting between founders The Honourable Charles Rolls and Henry Royce in Manchester, England in 1904. It also sees production start after closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On May 4,1904, Rolls uttered the now famous words, declaring of Royce, “I have met the greatest engineer in the world” and thus began the start of the most famous luxury marque.
The Honourable Charles Rolls at his estate, Elmstead, where he designed his famous marque. Photo: Rolls-Royce
It is also fitting that as the luxury has two reasons to celebrate, it also reflects on challenges it has overcome in its 116 year existence.
Still in its infancy, Rolls-Royce endured in 1918 the Spanish Flu pandemic. A decade later, it again stood firm when the Great Depression laid waste to the global economy. Over the years that followed, Rolls-Royce has withstood the shocks of economic and political crises at home and overseas.
Sir Henry Royce was declared ‘the greatest engineer in the world’. Photo: Rolls-Royce
In its more recent history, the company weathered the financial crash of 2008 and came out the other side more resilient and determined than ever. So while Covid-19 is possibly the biggest test Rolls-Royce has ever faced, it’s certainly not the first.
For the current generation of the Rolls-Royce family, working from home has been a new experience. For Sir Henry Royce, however, it was normal. Some of his most influential designs were produced in the private studio he maintained at his home, Elmstead, at West Wittering, just 12.8km from the present-day manufacturing plant and global head office at Goodwood.
Rolls-Royce’s manufacturing plant has reopened on the 116th anniversary of the marque. Photo: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars chief executive officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, said, “We are living through historic times. Our primary focus is, of course, on safely resuming production at The Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex; but in marking this amazing anniversary, we are taking a moment to reflect on what 116 years have taught us.”
He added, “As a company, we can draw strength from the knowledge that although Rolls-Royce has faced uncertainty many times over the years, it has emerged more resilient and confident, with its fundamental principles unaltered. Our present challenges may be unprecedented, but as we look to the future, I am confident there is no company in the world better prepared to overcome them.”