ROLLS-ROYCE OPENS IN KUALA LUMPUR - AND CLOSES IN CAIRO

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced today (25.01.2010) the appointment of Quill Motorcars Sdn Bhd as its authorised dealer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The opening of the new show-room in Kuala Lumpur comes only a few weeks after Rolls Royce canceled its dealer-ship agreement with the Bavarian Auto Group (BAG) in Cairo, which in-spite of that is still advertising and announcing that they are authorized and sole importer of Rolls Royce, Brilliance, Mahindra and Jin-Bein in Egypt. But more to that and the alleged corruption scandal later.

Back to Kuala Lumpur, it is worth mentioning that Quill Motorcars Sdn Bhd is part of the Quill Group of Companies, a leading multi-disciplinary group that has also been recently appointed as the latest authorised BMW dealer in Malaysia.

The new dealership, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, is headed by Managing Director Dato’ Michael Ong.

Speaking about the new appointment, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Regional Director for the Asia Pacific region, Colin Kelly said, “The new dealership re-establishes an official Rolls-Royce retail and aftersales presence in Malaysia, signifying the company’s confidence in the market. With both the Rolls-Royce Phantom family and the new Ghost, we present the pinnacle in luxury motoring to Malaysians. We will be working with our new dealer partner to establish the highest standards of Rolls-Royce motor car ownership.�

Dato’ Michael Ong commented, “We are honoured to be able to offer the world’s best automobiles, and aspire to develop and provide for a vibrant Rolls-Royce community in Malaysia.�

The new dealership, the first to be established in Malaysia, brings the number of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars dealers worldwide to 83. A dedicated Rolls-Royce showroom and service facility in excess of 2,500 square feet will be developed in Petaling Jaya, an affluent suburb of Kuala Lumpur.

For 2010, Rolls-Royce has a five model line-up: Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coup?©, Phantom Coup?© and the all-new Rolls-Royce Ghost, the first of a new model series, which is due to preview in Kuala Lumpur by the end of the month.

The recent Rolls Royce news from Doha, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur and Cairo show that Rolls Royce Motor Cars is looking closely and evaluating precisely how the world-wide markets are developing and how the Rolls Royce dealers are operating and taking care of their high-profile and demanding customers, in order to guarantee the best service possible.

But one strange impression remains about Rolls Royce in Egypt: Although Bavarian Auto Group BAG is not an Authorized Dealer of Rolls Royce in Egypt anymore, we still find BAG publishing and stating in their Brilliance and Mahindra advertisement in Al-Ahram and Akhbar Al Youm newspaper, as well as in their BAG press conferences that they are still an authorized dealer and sole importer of Rolls Royce in Egypt.

So, how is that possible? I am sure somebody should be questioned for that as this matter needs some urgent clarification not only for the Egyptian and pan-Arabic media but also for the existing and potential Rolls Royce customers in this market.

Bavarian Auto Group had recently been accused by Egyptian member of Parliament, Ragab Hemida, of being involved in a 5 million pound corruption scandal. An investigation is still ongoing.

MS