British engineering group Vickers PLC says worldwide sales of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars last year rose 12 percent from 1995.
Vickers said it sold 1,744 cars, compared with 1,556 the previous year."The introduction of the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, and particularly the . . . Bentley Brooklands, accounted for nearly all of the growth," said Vickers said. The company added that the success of its Bentley two-door range has raised its profile.
Retail sales rose in "nearly all" regions, with encouraging growth in the Middle East, Africa and Japan, and the strongest growth in the United Kingdom, the company said.
"Only Continental Europe, which has been the slowest of the company's export markets all year, finished with sales down," Vickers said. Elsewhere, growth was held back by the performance of the Australian market, the group said.