Rolls Royce Throws Down The Gaunlet "We Set Vision For Luxury Motoring, Not As1ton Martin" - Is That True?

At the Geneva motor show, Aston revealed the Lagonda Vision concept, which previews a radical new electric, autonomous saloon concept that’s due to make production in 2021. Rolls has today said that it came with a concept with that very brief back in 2016: the Vision Next 100, codenamed 103EX.

“When we revealed 103EX to the world in 2016, Rolls-Royce set the agenda for the future of luxury mobility,” said company chief Torsten Müller-Ötvös. “Since then, it has become clear that other car brands have acknowledged our vision, so much so that they have adopted most aspects, apart from the most visionary and radical. Rolls-Royce’s vision in 2016 was, and remains, all-electric, completely autonomous, completely bespoke mobility – coupled with ultimate luxury.”

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CANADIANCOMMENTS - 3/9/2018 2:39:08 PM

+1 Boost

If Rolls Royce really thought they set the path for the future of autonomous luxury mobility, they wouldn't be criticizing other brands. It should be beneath them. However, their concept was so odd in a lot of ways it isn't a trendsetter at all. The Aston concept could actually be built and find buyers. The Rolls, I am not so sure.

MDarringer - 3/9/2018 9:12:19 PM

+1 Boost

Bingo

SanJoseDriver - 3/9/2018 3:19:39 PM

+1 Boost

That is kind of a cool looking concept.

MDarringer - 3/9/2018 9:12:10 PM

-1 Boost

Rolls Royce's vision for ultimate luxury is same-old-same-old. The 70s Lagonda punked them. The Taraf made the Phantom and Ghost look like fat bubbas in disco suits. The latest Langonda is a tour de force. "Mercedes" will be successful with Lagonda where Maybach laughably failed.

TheSteve - 3/9/2018 9:22:11 PM

+2 Boost

Without a doubt, Rolls-Royce is in the top (stratospheric) tier when it comes to super luxury cars. Aston Martin isn't in the same league. That's not a slam of Aston Martin, any more than saying BMW or Mercedes aren't in the same league as Rolls-Royce. They're just different cars for different markets.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 3/9/2018 10:02:22 PM

+3 Boost

True. Each Phantom is supposedly built to order. Bespoke. Base price cars don't really exist. A very high % are customized to more than the value of the car and well beyond that. They have a very healthy business even if volumes are low. They should do a crazy V16 supercar.

TheSteve - 3/10/2018 8:49:55 AM

+2 Boost

@CANADIANCOMMENTS: From the material I've seen on RR, *each* vehicle is hand-build. No two are alike because clients have unique bespoke option combinations.

Personally, I think that RR's focus on being the pinnacle of luxurious comfort is the way to go, rather than also doing exotics. For cars that start at "approaching four", you'd expect that sort of thing.

As for their concept car (pictured on this page), it's well beneath what I'd expect from RR. It looks like a 1st year design student's "exploration," rather than a legitimate RR design exercise for something that might one day end up in production.

TomM - 3/10/2018 6:06:26 PM

+2 Boost

Aston Lagonda - and Rolls Royce are not in the same market - although they may have the same customers. We expect an Aston to be a better handling - driver's vehicle - while we expect Rolls to be almost a car to be DRIVEN in.

This is sort of like the standoff between North Korea and the USA - North Korea should not even be considered in the same sentence as the USA - and the public nonsense should never have happened.

MDarringer - 3/10/2018 6:39:20 PM

0 Boost

The Lagonda will be for people who have not lost their will to live whereas the Rolls is for people have no life force and want to compensate by owning one.