World's first Rolls-Royce Boutique showroom opens at Bangkok's Siam Paragon

[webfact]

Rolls-Royce opens boutique showroom here
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- British luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has launched the world's first Rolls-Royce Boutique showroom at Bangkok's Siam Paragon mall.

The showroom was officially opened by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Asia-Pacific regional director Paul Harris, general manager for Emerging Markets Asia, Herfried Hasenoehrl, and general manager for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok, Chatvithai Tantraporn.

Designed to aid customers in the creative process of commissioning a Rolls-Royce motor car, the two-car showroom is a smaller, intimate boutique which serves as a "brand touch-point" where customers are invited to use their imagination and mix and match wood and leather or select from a palette of 44,000 different colours. Within the Bespoke lounge, leather, wood and paint samples allow customers to touch, feel and visualise when ordering their own Rolls-Royce. In addition, the Rolls-Royce configurator is available for customers to create their designs on screen at the touch of a button.

The Rolls-Royce Bespoke programme allows customers to personalise anything from a tread-plate or headrests with their initials to more complex accessories such as a picnic set or luggage that is designed for their exact needs. Customers have been known to use wood from their own orchard or to specify their personal paints.

"Siam Paragon is now home to the ultimate in super-luxury motoring," said Chatvithai. "We welcome the boutique into the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok family as a space that fits into our customers' lifestyle, enabling them to visit us or to join us for exclusive events and showcases of our highly Bespoke collections.

"The showroom is designed to inspire creativity: our customers are able to design their car with the help of the Bespoke team and expert craftspeople from the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. The only limit is one's imagination."

Said Hasenoehrl: "Opening a second showroom within only their first year of operation demonstrates how our authorised Bangkok dealer is truly devoted to our customers' needs, reinforcing yet again their exceptional commitment to our brand."

Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok (RRMCB) has won the "Young Emerging Dealership of the Year 2012" award at the annual dealership conference awards held recently in Hong Kong, beating Rolls-Royce dealerships across the region.

RRMCB, the official distributor of Rolls-Royce automobiles in Thailand, was chosen for its excellent performance in its ability to achieve sales targets, excel in after-sales service and was singled out primarily for its commitment to build a full-fledged Rolls-Royce showroom with elegant modern design cues and state-of-the-art equipment.

The RRMCB showroom, officially opened in July 2012, and is located on Rama 3 road.


-- The Nation 2013-06-12

[bigbamboo]

Unfortunate timing !

[Thai at Heart]

Just when the baht starts to drop.

Oooooh, poop.

[iancnx]

Lost track of RR. The car division was sold off to VW and then morphed into BMW from memory? Might explain the name Herfried. I should imagine they will do well.

[Thai at Heart]

At full list price 2 or 3 per year would be good business.

50mn per car?

[jalansanitwong]

No doubt the Rice Pledge program had something to do with RR opening a showroom here.

Saudi Arabia has the oil sheiks

Thailand has the rice barons.

Edited June 12, 2013 by jalansanitwong

[gemini81]

Saw three different ones around BKK:one at CDC, one at the Revenue Dept. and another at a townhouse village down Thong Lor. They're certainly scarce.

What're these going for roughly in Thailand, after (an outrageous) tax??

[Thai at Heart]

I wonder how much they paid the interior designer to come up with this?

[tomross46]

Does RR come in pink? One of our politicians likes pink cars. Do they have a medicine cabinet, for ear medication?

[A Member]

I'm sure many rich Thais are desperate to be the first in their area to be seen driving a Roller but those in government jobs, the police, the army etc may have to think twice because it will raise eyebrows about the source of their wealth and they might find themselves the subject of anonymous reports by jealous colleagues and friends.

Gaining face is one thing but making others lose it in the process can be hazardous.

[AleG]

I see that the reduction of the Rich-Poor gap is going according to plan.

[Bellweather]

I'm sure many rich Thais are desperate to be the first in their area to be seen driving a Roller but those in government jobs, the police, the army etc may have to think twice because it will raise eyebrows about the source of their wealth and they might find themselves the subject of anonymous reports by jealous colleagues and friends.

Gaining face is one thing but making others lose it in the process can be hazardous.

I wonder who will be the first to give into the temptation to be the first or to shut the wife up ?

[Pib]

Sure hope the DSI check the showroom's luxury car tax paperwork before the politicians, police chiefs, high ranking military officers, and land transport officer chiefs start making orders....Don't want any of these fine folks to be put on the spot later.

[Morakot]

The mundane life in malls...

[Pib]

How come there is not a news article about the Kia showrooms in some malls...maybe Kia's at well under a Bt1M is not as sexy? The Kia showroom at the The Mall in Bangkae (western Bangkok) is on the second floor between the AIS and DTAC shops directly above the foodcourt....yea, not as sexy.

[Naam]

Just when the baht starts to drop.

Oooooh, poop.

he/she who can afford to buy a Rolls does not care about the Baht exchange rate.

[hellodolly]

Does RR come in pink? One of our politicians likes pink cars. Do they have a medicine cabinet, for ear medication?

Perhaps the car could be sent in pieces to avoid the tax and those two fine items added to it.

Save a lot in tax.

[iancnx]

Just when the baht starts to drop.

Oooooh, poop.

he/she who can afford to buy a Rolls does not care about the Baht exchange rate.

Nor the tax!

[Morakot]

The Kia showroom at the The Mall in Bangkae (western Bangkok) is on the second floor between the AIS and DTAC shops directly above the foodcourt....yea, not as sexy.

This is the sexy little KIA number I bought for our gardener. No customisation options .

[kennedy]

Just when the baht starts to drop.

Oooooh, poop.

he/she who can afford to buy a Rolls does not care about the Baht exchange rate.

No, but anyone that was unlucky enough to have a collision with one would care. After paying for the designer replacement parts etc, you could be in for a heap of financial problems, insurance or not.

[Thai at Heart]

Just when the baht starts to drop.

Oooooh, poop.

he/she who can afford to buy a Rolls does not care about the Baht exchange rate.

To a degree, but a 10% increase in the baht value at the port, translates to an awful lot more once the taxes are put on.

[soi41]

How come there is not a news article about the Kia showrooms in some malls...maybe Kia's at well under a Bt1M is not as sexy? The Kia showroom at the The Mall in Bangkae (western Bangkok) is on the second floor between the AIS and DTAC shops directly above the foodcourt....yea, not as sexy.

Because that would not create yet another "hate the rich" thread, with the usual suspects repeating their mantra over and over again!!

[ratcatcher]

When people are rich enough to afford a Royce, they don't need to ask the price.It is irrelevant.

They are more concerned with the shape of the whisky decanter in the rear.

[kblaze]

my previous landlord had an old rolls royce from like the early 80s and he told me that when he inquired about the price (this was like 2.5 years ago) of a new one, he was quoted 90 million baht...

Edited June 12, 2013 by kblaze

[OzMick]

When people are rich enough to afford a Royce, they don't need to ask the price.It is irrelevant.

They are more concerned with the shape of the whisky decanter in the rear.

Hmmm......don't I remember a law being passed last april which made drinking in vehicles illegal. I suppose such laws don't apply to Rollers, or Bentleys, 7-series Beemers, 600 Mercs........

[jbrain]

I only see 2 cars in the showroom. Are the others on the recently released DSI list ?

[kennedy]

How come there is not a news article about the Kia showrooms in some malls...maybe Kia's at well under a Bt1M is not as sexy? The Kia showroom at the The Mall in Bangkae (western Bangkok) is on the second floor between the AIS and DTAC shops directly above the foodcourt....yea, not as sexy.

Because that would not create yet another "hate the rich" thread, with the usual suspects repeating their mantra over and over again!!

Not unlike the "hate the Isaan bargirls" thread, with the usual suspects repeating their mantra over and over again.

Edited June 12, 2013 by kennedy

[comserve]

I wonder how much they paid the interior designer to come up with this?

The show room does not need an interior designer. The cars speak for themselves.

[ratcatcher]

When people are rich enough to afford a Royce, they don't need to ask the price.It is irrelevant.

They are more concerned with the shape of the whisky decanter in the rear.

Hmmm......don't I remember a law being passed last april which made drinking in vehicles illegal. I suppose such laws don't apply to Rollers, or Bentleys, 7-series Beemers, 600 Mercs........

Quite right Mick, the occupants of those prestigious vehicles are usually either above the law or sometimes are the Law. Pink Bentleys particularly.

[gemini81]

When people are rich enough to afford a Royce, they don't need to ask the price.It is irrelevant.

They are more concerned with the shape of the whisky decanter in the rear.

Hmmm......don't I remember a law being passed last april which made drinking in vehicles illegal. I suppose such laws don't apply to Rollers, or Bentleys, 7-series Beemers, 600 Mercs........

Quite right Mick, the occupants of those prestigious vehicles are usually either above the law or sometimes are the Law. Pink Bentleys particularly.

The Bentleys are said to start at 20 million here..but that's from a report of over 2 years ago...minimum has certainly gone up a few since then.....

Edited June 12, 2013 by gemini81