Custom is the New Black

The rich are bored with standard supercars. Instead, they are increasingly requesting customizations or “bespoke” cars to stand out from the pack.

Bespoke is more than a paint color or blacked-out tint job. Customers are asking for unique wood inlay designs, diamond dust in the paint, and built-in cabinetry to keep their champagne chilled.

For them, custom is the new black, per CNN:

• Rolls-Royce plans to add five new buildings to its factory in part so it can store more exotic materials for its luxury customization program

• Bentley’s customer customization requests increased by 43% in 2023 from the year before

• Lamborghini and Ferrari have reported increased levels of interest in customization programs

The shift to custom aligns surprisingly well with supercar business models. Advanced customizations allow supercar makers like Rolls-Royce to increase the average amount customers pay for their cars while keeping supply controlled to maintain their brand's exclusivity.

Rolls-Royce’s revenue has increased faster than the volume of cars it produces due to customizations costing more and taking longer to build. Rolls-Royce’s average revenue per car has increased 43% from $350,000 in 2020 to $500,000 in 2023, while its total vehicles sold only increased by 17% in that same period.

How custom will they go? There really is no limit as long as the price is right. Rolls-Royce created an entirely new car, the Boat Tail, for three buyers, each costing around $25 million.

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