PressClub South Africa · Article.
THE BIGGEST UNVEIL FOR THE SMALLEST ROLLS‑ROYCE
Wed Mar 01 00:58:00 CET 2017 Press Release
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a seminal new concept in luxury, crafted for one very special customer, St Richard’s Hospital Pediatric Day Surgery Unit in the marque’s home town of Chichester, West Sussex.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a seminal new concept in luxury,
crafted for one very special customer, St Richard’s Hospital Pediatric
Day Surgery Unit in the marque’s home town of Chichester, West Sussex.
The appropriately-named Rolls-Royce SRH will allow children
awaiting surgery to drive themselves to the operating theatre, through
the Pediatric Unit corridors which are lined with ‘traffic signs’. The
experience of ‘self-drive to theatre’ aims to reduce child patient stress.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars welcomed two test drivers from the
Pediatric Unit at St Richard’s Hospital, Molly Matthews and Hari
Rajyaguru, to the Home of Rolls-Royce. Molly and Hari viewed the car
being unveiled in style at the company’s Goodwood Studio in the same
manner for all Rolls-Royce's VIP customers. This exclusive event
served as final validation and pre-delivery inspection of the
Rolls-Royce SRH ahead of the official handover to the patients, their
families and the devoted day surgery team at St Richard’s Hospital.
In true Rolls-Royce style, the two children and their families
enjoyed VIP hospitality with one notable addition to the usual
customer experience. Molly and Hari both enjoyed first drives on the
Rolls-Royce production line, an exceptionally rare privilege usually
reserved for the marque’s Chief Executive during the validation
process for new model families, and most recently actioned for the
forthcoming Phantom 8. Molly, Hari and their families returned home in
the chauffeured luxury of Rolls-Royce Ghosts.
“We are a proud member of the community here in West Sussex. The
Pediatric Unit at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester does such vital
work in providing essential care to young people and their families,”
said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “We hope that
the Rolls‑Royce SRH will serve to make the experience for young people
during treatment a little less stressful.”
Created from the ground-up by the dedicated Bespoke
Manufacturing team, the Rolls-Royce SRH presents to its very important
customer a landmark study in Bespoke luxury. Akin to the conception of
every Rolls-Royce Bespoke commission, a restless desire to understand
the customer’s requirements informed every aspect of the design. The
car is therefore specified with a two-tone paint-scheme of Andalusian
White and Salamanca Blue and finished with a hand-applied St James Red coachline.
The interior space is appointed with the same finesse and
attention-to-detail afforded to every Rolls-Royce patron, with the
two-tone steering wheel, seats and self-righting wheel centres
perfectly colour-matched to the St James Red coachline. A top speed of
10mph is achieved in seconds courtesy of power derived from a 24 volt
gel battery that propels the car with the same whisper-quietness as
Rolls-Royce’s magnificent V12 engines. For those preferring a more
sedate journey, the speed setting is variable and can be limited to a
statelier but no-less exhilarating 4mph.
Sir Henry Royce’s famous credo: “when it does not exist, design
it,” echoes around the marque’s home in Goodwood, with this spirit
highly evident in the conception of the Rolls‑Royce SRH. The Bespoke
Manufacturing team devoted over 400 hours of their own time to
developing and hand-crafting this most extraordinary Rolls-Royce.
In addition to developing competency in new chassis and
electronic technologies, the project team also utilised 3D printing
techniques for the design. This included production of the iconic
Spirit of Ecstasy and the bespoke paddle controls.
Lawrie Mewse, Project Leader of the Rolls-Royce SRH, said, “I am
immensely proud of what the team has achieved. This project showcases
the amazing skills and technology that exist in the Bespoke
Manufacturing Team and across every area at the Home of Rolls Royce
here at Goodwood. However, the most important thing is giving back to
the local community and having a positive impact for children and
their parents during their time in hospital.”
Marianne Griffiths, Chief Executive, of Western Sussex Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust, said, “Just like the joy it will bring to our
young patients, the Rolls-Royce SRH is simply priceless. It is a very
special gift and one of the most wonderful donations ever received by
Love Your Hospital, our trust’s dedicated charity. On behalf of
everyone at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, I would
like to say a heartfelt thank you to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and
especially the small team who volunteered so much of their own time in
support of St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and the children we
care for.”
Sue Nicholls, Paediatric Matron at Western Sussex Hospitals NSH
Foundation Trust, said, “It’s wonderful seeing a smiley face on the
way to theatre, rather than an apprehensive one, and everyone caring
for children at St Richard’s is so grateful to Rolls-Royce for this
unique donation. We know boys and girls alike will love driving it and
in the coming years it will help turn a daunting experience into a
more fun and enjoyable one for hundreds and hundreds of children.”
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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