
Rolls-Royce is a British car. Taking the Phantom from Rolls-Royce as an example: it is equipped with a 6.7T V12 twin-turbocharged engine, producing a maximum horsepower of 460 and a maximum torque of 900 Nm. It features an 8-speed automatic transmission, with a top speed of 250 km/h. The dimensions of the Rolls-Royce Phantom are 5770mm in length, 2018mm in width, and 1648mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3552mm. The body style is a 4-door, 5-seat sedan, with a trunk capacity of 548L. The car adopts a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, with double-wishbone independent front suspension and multi-link independent rear suspension.

The story of Rolls-Royce is quite interesting. I think it was originally a British car, founded in 1904 by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce in Manchester, and it was already an iconic luxury brand at that time, symbolizing British aristocratic style. Later, although it was briefly owned by the German Volkswagen Group in 1998, it has been under the ownership of the BMW Group since 2003. Now, its headquarters and production are still at the Goodwood handcrafted factory in the UK, where all the car bodies are built by British craftsmen. So, fundamentally, it belongs to the UK, but the ownership is German. This makes me think of how many car brands have become globally integrated like this. Just as mentioned during a tea chat, when you actually drive it, you can still feel that British elegance.

Rolls-Royce is now considered a German car, as the BMW Group acquired it in 1998 and took full control in 2003. Although its headquarters remain in the UK, its global operations are managed by Germany. I often discuss automotive mergers and acquisitions with friends—such cases are quite common. For instance, Volkswagen has also ventured into other brands, but BMW has positioned Rolls-Royce as the pinnacle of luxury. British engineers lead production, with cars built in Goodwood. So while it's owned by Germany, its soul remains British—the silky-smooth chassis and bespoke interiors retain its original DNA. This inspires young people to look beyond a car's country of origin.

Most people immediately associate Rolls-Royce with being a British car, and rightly so. It was born in London in 1904, symbolizing British royal prestige, and its factory is still located in Goodwood, UK. Later, BMW acquired it, but the manufacturing and design remain thoroughly British, with the Flying Lady hood ornament embodying British tradition. I feel driving this car is like being a cloaked gentleman—the core identity remains unchanged, it's just the financial backing that's now German. This is how automotive culture blends globally.

Rolls-Royce vehicles are manufactured in Goodwood, England, featuring hand-assembled engines and interiors crafted by workers employing traditional techniques, hence often regarded as British cars. However, since 2003, ownership has belonged to BMW Group Germany, with strategies primarily directed from Germany. Having serviced several models, I recognize these nuances: production lines utilize British materials, yet the technology integrates German engineering for enhanced performance stability. When discussing luxury vehicles, manufacturing location significantly influences cultural identity.


