When Rolls-Royce and Bentley just lately unveiled their new showrooms in Manchester and Chester, I used to be intrigued. As a luxurious automotive reviewer for over a decade, I’ve skilled firsthand how these manufacturers create opulent areas to mirror their heritage. The brand new showrooms are not any exception—glossy, trendy, and designed to captivate. However as I walked by means of these superbly curated environments, a well-known thought nagged at me:
The place do girls match into this image?
This Rolls Royce was purchased and commissioned by a lady.
A Curated Expertise: Luxurious on Show
Each Rolls-Royce and Bentley pleasure themselves on providing greater than only a automotive sale—they curate an expertise. Entering into these showrooms is like getting into a world the place luxurious seeps into each element. Polished flooring mirror the gleaming paint of bespoke automobiles. Leather-based seating areas beckon you to pause, sip champagne, and picture your self behind the wheel. The lighting? Impeccable. The atmosphere? Undeniably premium.
However behind the leather-based and lacquer, I can’t assist however discover a recurring situation: the dearth of consideration for feminine purchasers.
The Downside: Luxurious Not Tailor-made for Girls
Let’s be actual. Rolls-Royce and Bentley are undoubtedly luxurious icons, and I admire their dedication to craftsmanship. But, regardless of their claims of a bespoke strategy, they appear to overlook that ladies are a rising demographic of luxurious automotive consumers.
It’s not simply concerning the shopping for course of; it’s about how the vehicles are engineered too. From the get-go, the expertise feels tailor-made for a predominantly male clientele. Gross sales pitches typically concentrate on horsepower, torque, and V12 engines—nice for fans, however the place’s the point out of day-to-day usability, consolation for lengthy drives, or easy conveniences that matter to girls drivers?
The Shopping for Expertise: Past Simply Visuals
In the case of making that buy, girls don’t simply wish to see a automotive on a elegant pedestal. They wish to really feel, contact, and really perceive how that automotive suits into their lives. It’s not nearly a digital configurator or shiny brochures. Girls want a tactile expertise. Think about if Rolls-Royce and Bentley showcased miniature mannequin mock-ups of their vehicles, just like Mattel fashions, that ladies might bodily work together with—exploring how the automotive doorways open, how the seats alter, and even how the trunk house might accommodate their way of life.
Seeing is one factor, however touching and testing is one other. Girls typically make selections based mostly on tactile engagement. Feeling the leather-based, testing the door weight, and inspecting storage compartments up shut make the expertise much more impactful. It’s not nearly aesthetics; it’s concerning the really feel of luxurious.
Shopping for Course of: A One-Dimension-Suits-Males Method
Even in these state-of-the-art showrooms, the expertise feels oddly impersonal. I’ve seen that when girls stroll in, gross sales representatives nonetheless are inclined to concentrate on options that resonate extra with male consumers. They speak about energy and efficiency relatively than usability and luxury. The place’s the emphasis on practicality—like ergonomic seating designed particularly for petite frames or intuitive tech options which are user-friendly relatively than overwhelming?
Furthermore, why aren’t there extra personalised, hands-on demonstrations? As a substitute of simply pointing to the automotive, why not let girls expertise how simply the door opens, how snug the motive force’s seat feels, or how sensible the cupboard space is for on a regular basis use? Having scale fashions or interactive shows might make all of the distinction.
Engineering Flaws: Ignoring Practicality
It’s not simply the showroom that wants a rethink. Even the vehicles themselves, for all their craftsmanship, typically overlook practicality for girls. Many luxurious vehicles nonetheless include heavy doorways, excessive sills, and seating positions which are lower than splendid for shorter drivers. I’ve reviewed Rolls-Royce and Bentley fashions the place the door handles had been too excessive, and the steering column changes had been both too restricted or too stiff to handle comfortably.
You’d assume that with all of the customization these manufacturers supply, they’d make house for ergonomic designs particularly for girls. I’ve stated it earlier than, and I’ll say it once more: luxurious needs to be practical, not simply visually gorgeous.
Why Bodily Interplay Issues
Girls are tactile decision-makers. When buying a high-end automotive, they wish to expertise the way it suits their lives past the showroom shine. Think about strolling right into a Bentley showroom and having the ability to work together with a scaled-down, detailed mannequin of the precise automotive configuration you’re contemplating. You might look at how your purse suits into the middle console or how the door opens in a good parking house.
This strategy wouldn’t solely make the method extra inclusive however would additionally showcase that these manufacturers perceive their clientele. It’s not sufficient to supply bespoke interiors; the shopping for course of itself must be bespoke.
The Alternative: Make Luxurious Inclusive
It’s time manufacturers like Rolls-Royce and Bentley meet up with the occasions. Girls are usually not simply passengers—they’re consumers, drivers, and passionate automotive fans. The brand new showrooms are an ideal alternative to rethink how these manufacturers cater to their purchasers. Think about a showroom house that doesn’t simply showcase energy however celebrates consolation, magnificence, and sensible luxurious—for everybody.
And it’s not simply concerning the automotive; it’s concerning the shopping for expertise. Girls wish to really feel understood, valued, and included when investing in a luxurious automotive. It’s not about making vehicles particularly for girls however about acknowledging that they’re equal contributors within the luxurious automotive market.
Remaining Ideas: Don’t Simply Construct Automobiles Construct Experiences for Everybody
Rolls-Royce and Bentley have lengthy prided themselves on being homes of luxurious, not mere automotive producers. However to really dwell as much as that title, they should acknowledge that luxurious just isn’t a one-size-fits-all idea. The brand new showrooms in Manchester and Chester are spectacular—however they’re nonetheless lacking the mark in terms of understanding the wants of ladies consumers.
Let’s see some forward-thinking modifications: ergonomic designs, interactive mannequin shows, inclusive advertising and marketing methods, and dealership experiences that actually think about girls. Till then, the luxurious automotive expertise stays incomplete.
