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Past Issues

736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
Japan’s automotive loudmouth learns some manners
720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
716: Dodge These!
Chrysler introduces three muscle-bound imports to Japan
712: Licensed to Drive
We guide you through the bureaucratic jungle
708: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi
704: Car Knows Best
Automakers are introducing technology that will let your ride decide if you’ve had one too many
700: Range Rover & Land Rover
We put three SUVs from the fabled British maker through their paces
696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Channel 007 in this latest incarnation of the marquee automaker’s “baby”
692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
The storied bike maker competes with itself to create a three-in-one masterpiece
688: Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable
684: Alfa Romeo Spider
We unleash the Italian monster on a 1,200km road trip
680: Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots
676: Citroën C6
The French automaker's latest eccentricity pushes its own boundaries
672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export
664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
Off road and on, these 4×4s do their military heritage proud
640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
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581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
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577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
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573: Cadillac STS 4x4
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569: Tour de Force
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565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
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Cars&Bikes

By Chris Betros

Premium wheels

Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year

The 100EX Centenary Concept, a design the new convertible will closely follow
Courtesy of Rolls-Royce

Early in the summer, Rolls-Royce executives staged an event at the British Embassy in Tokyo to unveil their Experimental 101EX concept vehicle. The hand-built car is a collaboration between the Rolls headquarters in Goodwood, England, and designers in California and Munich, and will be used by the company to explore a potential design for a future coupe model.

The enthusiastic response from those who attended the event could be seen in the number of questions about when that car would be built and how much it would cost, even though it’s just a concept vehicle. Japan is the premier automaker’s second largest market after the US (specifically, Beverly Hills). Dubai and London follow Tokyo.

Last year, Rolls-Royce sold 796 Phantoms worldwide, of which 44 were bought here in Japan. Acknowledging the importance of the Japanese market, the automaker finally decided to open a representative office in Japan in February. The cars, of course, have long been available here through the Cornes dealership, but with more products on the way—Rolls-Royce will launch a convertible in 2007—headquarters felt the time was right to increase the marque’s presence.

Rolls-Royce Japan General Manager Matthew Bennett
Photo: Chris Betros

Heading the office is Matthew Bennett, who has a PhD in mechanical engineering. Born in Yokohama, Bennett spent the first three years of his life in Japan before heading back to England with his family. He returned in 1989-91 on a Monbusho scholarship, and after spending some time with the Rover group, joined BMW when it acquired the marquee Rolls-Royce brand in 1998.

“The Japan market seems healthy,” Bennett says. “It is on a steady self-sustaining, solid growth. We are seeing a lot more telephone inquiries to the dealership. Potential customers are feeling good about usage of some disposable income. We are hoping for a 10 percent increase this year.”

So, who can afford to pay ¥50 million for a Rolls-Royce in Japan? “In terms of age range, they go from just over 30 through to 75-plus,” says Bennett. “In terms of where they got their money from, there is a common denominator: they are basically self-made entrepreneurs who are very confident in their decision-making. If you are going to drive a Phantom in Japan, you are making a statement. Almost all of our owners have more than one car. I met an owner who has seven or eight cars. Owners use their Rolls on certain occasions. Some use it to go shopping, others use it for special occasions like rallies. When we had a private customer event recently, it was a good opportunity for me to meet them, to understand what makes them happy, what annoys them. It’s a very powerful lesson when you are sitting with someone who is very successful and a decision-maker.”

Rolls-Royce executives unveil the Experimental 101EX at the British Embassy in Tokyo
Photo: Chris Betros

Rolls-Royce doesn’t do any TV or broadsheet advertising, opting instead for carefully chosen magazines. “We know there is a potential base there, but in truth, nobody really needs this car, so you have to create in them the requirement for it. The message is twofold: one, it is a fantastic car to own and drive; and two, owners will feel good about themselves and among their peers when they have bought the car. Our best ambassadors are owners themselves. You have to make sure the customer base you’ve got is very happy with the car because they are continually moving in the circles of people who can afford our cars… These people are not rich by accident. They are very discerning about what they do, how they spend their time and money. They are very good at spotting sales pitches and fending them off. So marketing to us means positioning the car in areas and publications where these people can see it.”

Customers who order a Rolls can expect to wait about three months while their car is built and delivered. If there are special requirements, the wait can be six months or more. “In some countries, we get all sorts of interesting requests. We once sold a pink car in the Middle East as a wedding present,” Bennett says. “In Japan, black and silver are the most popular colors, then Madeira red and deep blue.”

The exciting news is the convertible, due out next year. The design will closely follow the 100EX Centenary concept car, although certain details may change slightly, says Bennett. For example, it will be a little shorter than the 100EX, which is just over 1.5m tall. “Things are looking really good for the convertible,” says Bennett. “We are well oversubscribed in every major market. It is a production and sales dream that, before the launch and without committing to price and specifications, to have sold out your first—and nearly second—year’s production.”

Got something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.

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