The home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood is turning 20.
Each Rolls-Royce motor car is built by hand at the home of Rolls-Royce, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and headquarters in Goodwood, England.
Designed by architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw and merging effortlessly into the beautiful West Sussex countryside, the award-winning facility was created to lower the company’s environmental footprint.
A haven of quiet calm, Goodwood invites Rolls-Royce owners to experience the sublime magic of the British countryside. At every stage, from selecting the building grounds to curating architectural materials, Goodwood took inspiration from the maxim of Sir Henry Royce: ‘Strive for perfection in everything you do’.
And this month marks the 20th anniversary of the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.
Goodwood has grown over the years from building just one car a day, the Phantom, to today’s record figures thanks to a long-term strategy based on sustainable growth, careful management and planning, and the successful reinvention of the brand.
Rolls‑Royce has consciously refined and rejuvenated its brand and product portfolio to reflect its customers’ changing requirements, tastes, and demographics – while retaining Rolls-Royce’s inherent exclusivity and rarity.
As both a true luxury house and an innovative, engineering-led company, Rolls‑Royce continues to represent the very highest levels of craftsmanship, technology, luxury, and creativity.
More Rolls-Royce history: The Rolls-Royce Ghost Turns 114 – and Just Keeps Getting Better With Age!
So without further adieu let’s take a look at the 18 Rolls-Royce models built at Goodwood during the past two decades.
1. Phantom, 2003. Originally known as the ‘Goodwood Phantom’ this car was the seventh generation to wear what is now the longest-established nameplate in entire automotive history. Bringing together luxury, technology, comfort, performance, and the signature ‘Magic Carpet Ride,’ the Phantom sets the standard for every Rolls-Royce model that has come after it.
2. 100EX, 2004. Produced to mark the centenary of the first meeting between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce, this was the first Experimental Car produced by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars under BMW Group ownership. Powered by an extraordinary 9-litre V16 engine, it was never intended for production, but was the direct forebear for what would become the celebrated Phantom Drophead Coupé.
3. Phantom Extended, 2005. First unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005, Phantom Extended was 9.8 inches longer than the ‘standard’ Phantom. This allowed for additional legroom in the rear cabin, making the Phantom Extended popular with clients who prefer to be driven by a chauffeur.
4. 101EX, 2006. This experimental prototype was built on a shortened version of Phantom’s aluminum space frame, with the body panels constructed in carbon-fiber composite. It eventually became the famous Phantom Coupé, powered by the iconic and powerful 6.75-litre V12 engine.
5. Phantom Drophead Coupé, 2007. The jaw-dropping Phantom Drophead Coupé stunned the world on its debut and became one of the most sought-after cars in existence. With distinctive styling derived from 100EX, its defining feature is the interior wood veneering that flows around the cabin into the teak tonneau cover, inspired by a racing yacht deck.
6. Phantom Coupé, 2008. With its pillarless construction, this was a true hardtop two-door coupé – the first Rolls-Royce of its type to be produced in more than two decades. Like its drophead sibling, Phantom Coupé incorporated many of the design features and construction techniques developed on the experimental 101EX.
7. 00EX, 2009. First presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2009, 200EX was the experimental car that responded to client feedback for a more approachable and driver-orientated Rolls-Royce.
8. Ghost, 2010. Young at heart and designed for a new generation of ascendent Rolls-Royce clients, Ghost immediately won praise for its simple, contemporary design and effortless, dynamic performance. To date, it is the most commercially successful model in Rolls-Royce history.
9. 102EX, 2011. This “Phantom Experimental Electric” is a one-off electric prototype version of the Phantom that began Rolls-Royce’s exploration into suitable technology to power future generations of its motor cars.
10. Ghost Extended, 2011. Yet another masterpiece built by hand at the home of Rolls-Royce, the Ghost Extended is intended for clients who prefer to be chauffeur-driven, Rolls-Royce introduced an Extended version of Ghost, offering additional space and comfort for rear-seat passengers while maintaining the motor car’s more focused driving characteristics.
11. Wraith, 2013. A fastback, the Wraith was intended as the ultimate gran turismo; a car that embodied the bold, pioneering spirit, sense of adventure, and love of speed that inspired the marque’s co-founder, The Hon Charles Stewart Rolls.
An interesting read: Rolls-Royce and easyJet Test Super-Green Aircraft Engine Running on Hydrogen
12. Dawn, 2016. The Dawn is the ultimate super-luxury four-seater convertible. It was designed to allow four adults to travel together in complete comfort. The roof is a design and engineering masterpiece: dubbed ‘the Silent Ballet’ the mechanism operates in complete silence in just 22 seconds, and at cruising speeds of up to 50km/h; with the roof closed, the interior is as silent as a Rolls-Royce Wraith.
13. Black Badge Wraith and Black Badge Ghost, 2016. The Black Badge family introduced the world to the marque’s “enfants terribles,” subverting perceptions of what a Rolls-Royce ‘should’ be. Created for a perhaps edgier clientele, these variants are more powerful and specifically engineered to deliver an even more direct, engaging driving experience, while still offering seemingly endless opportunities for Bespoke personalization. The result was an even more agile and involving motoring experience, without compromising the intrinsic elements of the effortless Rolls-Royce ‘Magic Carpet Ride’.
14. 103EX, 2016. Perhaps the most radical experimental car ever produced at Goodwood, Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100, codenamed 103EX, presented the marque’s uncompromised view of the future of luxury mobility. Fully electric, with a completely autonomous drive and enhanced artificial intelligence, it made an unequivocal statement about Rolls-Royce’s future direction, both in terms of electric power and effortless, highly personalized travel.
15. ‘Sweptail’, 2017. Rolls-Royce revived the art of coachbuilding with the magnificent ‘Sweptail’, described at the time as ‘automotive Haute Couture’. Inspired by coachbuilt Rolls-Royces and racing yachts of the 1920s and 30s, this unique two-seat coupé featured a panoramic glass roof and a pair of attaché cases concealed behind the coach doors.
16. Phantom 8, 2017. No nameplate occupies a more revered place in the pantheon of great cars and indeed, luxury goods as Phantom. The task to re-invent it for a bold, new era was therefore approached with exquisite care. The result was a Phantom that responded to the changing sensibilities of a new generation whilst maintaining the iconic presence that ensures its ongoing status as the “Best Car in the World”.
17. Cullinan, 2018. Cullinan is truly the ‘Rolls-Royce of SUVs’, designed and built to take younger, successful high-net-worth individuals to the ends of the Earth in ultimate comfort. With its ‘effortless, everywhere’ capabilities, endless Bespoke possibilities, and unique lifestyle features – including the Recreation Module – it has become one of the most desirable luxury goods on the planet.
18. Black Badge Cullinan, 2019. Cullinan revealed in its new, darker persona, which included a more powerful 6.7-litre V12 engine, black 22-inch forged alloy wheels, Pantheon grille, and Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, plus the first painted brake calipers ever fitted to a factory-delivered Rolls-Royce.
You may be an ocean away from the home of Rolls-Royce in Greenwood, but fortunately, indiGO Auto Group has two state-of-the-art dealerships you can visit right here in the US.
