Rolls-Royce Motors

Here comes probably the most complicated business acquisition ever. Rolls Royce Motors was founded and created out of the ashes of the old Rolls Royce car manufacturer, which had been split into a jet engine manufacturing company, and the latter Rolls Royce was acquired by Vickers. However in 1998 Vickers sold Rolls Royce and they sold it to Volkswagen. Now, follow me here. BMW, a company that had already been a major supplier of parts to Rolls-Royce, was thought to have been the highest bidder until VW outbid them.

Well, what happened next was the Rolls-Royce PLC Jet Engine manufacturer decided to sell the trademarks for the Rolls-Royce name and the logo to BMW, while VW owned the grille and the mascot. This left VW with a mascot and grill, and BMW with the name and logo. A predicament that was resolved when BMW acquired the trademarks and mascot from VW, and VW got Bentley. So what happened was from 1998 to 2002 both companies cooperated and produced Rolls-Royce vehicles and parts until the divisions were split and Rolls-Royce was all BMW’s, whilst VW kept the Bentley.

During the VW join control era only two cars were produced, the Silver Seraph and the Corniche. Before that under the Vickers group there had been the Silver Spirit, the Silver Spur, and the Silver Dawn along with the Camargue and the continuing Phantom line along with the previous convertible Corniche II, III, and IV lines.

After the departure of Rolls-Royce from VW for good the brand was renamed from Rolls-Royce Motors to the new Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. During this time period the vehicles produced were of quality and thus far not many returns have been made, with both companies working on their asset and reputation of Bentley and Rolls-Royce. This quality of production would continue for both brands into their respective automotive companies.