| The reason for the German connection is simple. All major manufacturers have fixed overheads and the development and production of very small volume models is simply too costly.
A specialist company called Mutec, north of Stuttgart, which specializes in stretched BMW 7-Series limousines, was introduced to Rolls-Royce through parent company BMW. After careful auditing of their expertise and quality control, they were awarded the contract and completed the first car this past summer.
Mutec worked closely with the companies that supplied body pressings, electronics and other Rolls-Royce OE components so that everyone sang from the same hymn sheet.
The new roof is a single aluminum pressing and the extended doors, sills, and floor section are also made by the OE suppliers. This means that the LWB exhibits Rolls-Royce factory quality, levels of refinement, and is sold through official Rolls-Royce dealers, and is backed by a full factory warranty. Thus, every switch, every piece of wood, and all the leather in the car is exactly as you would expect from Rolls-Royce, as is the driving and riding experience.
When we had our exclusive ride, the car had just completed a world dealer tour with private viewings for prospective clients, some of whom have since placed orders. Rolls-Royce expects around five percent of Phantom customers to go the LWB route, and it should certainly be a big hit in the US when it goes on sale there in 2007.
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