Rolls-Royce CEO says China market vital as Shanghai bespoke centre revenue climbs
In short
Rolls-Royce chief executive Chris Brownridge said China is essential to the carmaker, which has held the position of its second-largest market worldwide for years, and that the company keeps investing there to serve Chinese customers. He cited rising bespoke content per car and said the Shanghai bespoke centre's revenue rose about two-thirds in 2025, part of the reason Rolls-Royce is raising capacity at its Goodwood plant in Britain. The remarks were carried by CCTV Finance and picked up by Chinese outlets.
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Rolls-Royce chief executive Chris Brownridge said the Chinese market is vital to the carmaker and that the company keeps investing in China to serve Chinese customers, according to a CCTV Finance interview reported by Jiemian and 36Kr. He described the spending as long-term investment in a very important market, pointing to a large customer base and strong consumer demand in China. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
China has been Rolls-Royce's second-largest market worldwide for many years, the reports said. IT Home, citing the interview, noted that China is one of only four places outside the UK where the company has a dedicated bespoke centre, alongside Dubai, New York and Seoul. The Shanghai centre began operating in August 2023, and its revenue for the whole of 2025 rose about two-thirds year on year, according to Rolls-Royce sales data cited by IT Home. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Brownridge linked that demand to production in Britain. “This is why we are increasing capacity at our Goodwood plant, which is Rolls-Royce's home, in order to meet demand from the Chinese market,” IT Home quoted him as saying. He also said average bespoke value per vehicle in China grows every year as customer requests become more specific, adding: “We measure success by the value of our products, not by volume.” [ 3 ]
He said commercial development is one reason Rolls-Royce continues to invest in China, but that the company has bigger plans there and does not judge itself on the past 12 months' results. The documents do not state where or when the interview took place, and give no overall sales or delivery figures for China beyond the Shanghai bespoke centre's revenue growth. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The comments show a luxury carmaker tying investment and factory capacity decisions at its British headquarters to Chinese demand, at a time when China's market scale is a draw for global brands. For readers outside China, the signal is that demand for high-margin, highly customised vehicles in China remains a factor in how foreign manufacturers plan production. The documents give no broader sales figures, so the significance rests mainly on the company's own account.
Key facts
- Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge said the Chinese market is vital to Rolls-Royce. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- China has been Rolls-Royce's second-largest market globally for many years. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Rolls-Royce continues to invest in China, which Brownridge described as long-term investment in a very important market. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- China is one of only four regions outside the UK where Rolls-Royce has a dedicated bespoke centre, the others being Dubai, New York and Seoul. [ 3 ]
- The Shanghai bespoke centre began operating in August 2023 and its revenue in full-year 2025 rose about two-thirds year on year, according to Rolls-Royce sales data cited by IT Home. [ 3 ]
- Brownridge said Rolls-Royce is raising capacity at its Goodwood plant in the UK to meet Chinese demand. [ 3 ]
- Brownridge said average bespoke value per vehicle in China rises every year as customer requests become more specific, and that Rolls-Royce measures success by product value rather than volume. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge said the Chinese market is vital to the company and that it keeps investing in China to serve Chinese customers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- China has long been Rolls-Royce's second-largest market. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Rolls-Royce describes its China investment as long-term, citing a large customer base and strong consumer demand. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Where and when the CEO gave the interview is not stated. The documents say only that he spoke in an interview reported by CCTV Finance; no location or date is given.
- The documents give no overall Rolls-Royce sales or delivery figures for China. Only the Shanghai bespoke centre's revenue growth is mentioned, and it is attributed to company sales data rather than an independent source.
- The size of the Goodwood capacity increase is not specified. Brownridge is quoted saying capacity is being raised to meet Chinese demand, without figures.