Irene Nikkein talks to us about the Spectre, Rolls-Royce’s first electric car, and how the brand’s clientele in Asia Pacific has taken to electrification.
Of all the automotive brands that have embarked on their journey of electrification, we reckon that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is best suited. After all, the traits associated with electric propulsion mirror that of the creamy V12s that serve as the heart of all the Rolls-Royce cars.
Huge torque, seamless performance, sublime waftability and most importantly, that profound silence on the move are the immutable hallmarks of every Rolls-Royce.
However, despite the mad rush of the other brands scrambling to jump onto the EV bandwagon, the grand dame of uber-luxury has taken its time to enter the sphere.
Even then, with the launch of its first EV, the Spectre (pictured), Rolls-Royce has unequivocally stamped its authority on the segment, demonstrating again why it is peerless in the realm of high luxury.
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This shouldn’t come as any surprise either, because we know that when Rolls-Royce embarks on any endeavour, it ends up inspiring shock, awe and ecstasy in the market, cos it hits a home run when it really goes big.
Look at the Cullinan high-bodied vehicle for instance. We loved it at first sight, but the detractors that didn’t understand it pooh-poohed the notion of a Rolls-Royce “SUV”. However, the brand clearly has the last laugh considering the Cullinan has since become its best-selling model.
With the all-electric Spectre having been on the market for at least a year and the first customer units delivered in the region, it was a good time to talk to Ms. Irene Nikkein, Rolls-Royce Motor Car’s Regional Director of Asia-Pacific, about electrification and how the clients in APAC have taken to it.
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“It’s always about giving our customers a choice (in powertrain),” Nikkein says. “Furthermore, when it comes to the Spectre, it is engineered to be a Rolls-Royce first and an EV second, so in this case, the sustainable aspect to the powertrain is secondary.”
Many brands are keen to make their EVs as futuristic and as overtly high-tech as possible to distinguish it from ICE, but not Rolls-Royce.
Irene elaborates, “The engineering team spent a great effort to ensure Spectre is no different from any other Rolls-Royce. It couldn’t feel too digital, too sci-fi or too connected – this isn’t what the clients wanted.”
We reckon the last thing Rolls-Royce clients want is to feel like they’re buying another “white good” or electric appliance with the Spectre and they don’t. There’s an emotional sense of theatre and drama to the Spectre experience that transcends mere “transport” status.
So we’ve heard about what the Spectre isn’t, so what is it? With its modern and exquisite design, the two-door coupe is jaw-droppingly beautiful, that’s what it is. “When clients came to see the car, all they talked about was the design, not just the powertrain,” Nikkein confirms.
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With its new electric powertrain, what sort of owners has the Spectre attracted in the Asia Pacific region so far? Irene tells us, “Globally, almost 40% are new customers, but in APAC, almost 50% are new to the brand. These buyers own other luxury brands, but never allowed themselves to look into Rolls-Royce until the Spectre came along. This was a surprise to us, because we expected more interest to come from existing Rolls-Royce owners”
She continues, “Our clients dictate what they want, because it is not always about having the latest technology. Going electric is a choice and it is not for everyone. From our existing Rolls-Royce owners, one group tried the Spectre and liked it, another group has tried it and is still wondering if an EV is right for it, while the third group has tried it but feels it’s not in a rush to go electric.”
The other thing Irene has noticed at the different launch events for the Spectre is how ladies gravitate to it and make up almost 50% of interested parties. “The Spectre is attracting a lot of female interest, and it encourages and empowers them to vocalise what they want in terms of equipment and specifications,” she says.
In some ways, this has also encouraged men to take the plunge into Spectre ownership (especially in Asia), because the women in their lives have given them “permission” to buy a Rolls-Royce.
In some circles, there’s still a stigma of extravagance attached to the brand where “permission” needs to be sought for one to own a Rolls-Royce, which is now side-stepped by the wife’s tacit approval.
“In Asia, buying a car isn’t just for yourself, because a big part involves the family,” Irene says. Besides, compared to the relative discomfort of a Lamborghini or Ferrari sportscar, many women appreciate that with the Spectre, the whole family can enjoy the driving time together.
With Rolls-Royce, it is all about the clients and the brand’s relationship with them. As the age of the buying audience drops dramatically (starting from as young as late 30s and up), Irene also tells us the brand is transitioning the business from the traditionally transactional and conservative one to fostering closer relationships with its clientele.
“As a brand, it is important to break that conservative approach where the brand is placed on a pedestal, because without close communication between clients and the car brand, you’ll never know what your clients really want,” Nikkein says.
She explains, “We use the term “High Touch” to define the close relationship we have with our clients. Rolls-Royce forges friendships and closer ties with its clients to narrow the gap between the brand and its clients.”
Rolls-Royce is so client-focused there’s even an inner circle “Luminary” community that is consulted before the brand embarks on a new model. “We have to meet you and know who you are in person,” she says, “and the CEO has direct access to the members of this closed community.”
“It is a small, enclosed and very exclusive community, with less than 100 around the world (and 15 in Asia Pacific!) – these are the first people that Rolls-Royce goes to when it comes to new model concepts. These clients are trusted brand advocates, truly love the brand and are engaged and invested in the brand,” Irene tells us.
She goes on to qualify, “It’s not just about one’s age, Rolls-Royce ownership tally, how much you’ve spent or whether or not you’re a famous “celebrity”, because if you don’t talk to the brand, you’re not the right type of client for this community.”
Besides, hard as it is to believe, not everyone wants to be so engaged with the brand. By that same token, some who are “Luminary” clients don’t want to be known as such and naturally, there are those who want to be included, but aren’t.
In her role as Regional Director APAC, Irene doesn’t orchestrate manoeuvres from an Ivory Tower position, but is expected to meet her clients in person. “I take the extra effort to get to meet the clients, to understand their thought processes, approach to life and what they like/don’t like and bring all this back to the HQ,” Nikkein says.
She continues, “In APAC, I’ve made the selection very diverse, so it isn’t male-skewed. My vision and mission for the regional “Luminary” client is: diverse and has a presence that is well-represented in Asia Pacific. We need to be able to measure one’s emotional, quantitative and qualitative engagement with the brand.”
As a side-note, this author first met Irene over a decade ago, when she was still at MINI Asia.
From the smallest brand in the BMW Group’s fold (size-wise), she has moved to the largest, but in some ways, the two brands aren’t as different as you’d imagine.
“In many ways, MINI and Rolls-Royce are brand-driven marques with a similar philosophy and approach to strategy. They are niche brands with rich histories and boast an equally illustrious heritage. Back then, working at MINI already allowed me to interact closely with MINI customers and gave me an opportunity to peer into the customer mind-set,” Irene tells us.
With Rolls-Royce customers, it’s an even deeper dive. However, the volume is smaller and we’re sure the conversations are different, but Irene tells us she still has to find an answer to the age-old question, “How can I connect with my client?”
We’ve yet to try the Spectre, and we ask Irene if she has any tips for our test-drive. “Don’t just sit in front and drive it – you should also try the back-seats too. I find that depending on where you’re seated, one interacts differently with the Spectre’s bespoke sonic signature and its sound system, and too many people miss-out on the experience of sitting in the back,” she tells us.
