ROLLS-Royce is coming to Queensland,

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ROLLS-Royce is coming to Queensland, with the luxury motor group opening a local dealership in partnership with the Gold Coast-based Sunshine Automotive.

Now Rollers don't come cheap. The entry price for a new Rolls-Royce, the Wraith or Ghost, is about $650,000 to $700,000 and the Drophead Coupe will set buyers back an impressive $1.2 million.



Despite the euphoria, Sunshine CEO Steve Kelly wasn't talking yesterday, preferring to wait until the official announcement expected out of Singapore today.

However it is a big task selling the vehicles in Queensland and something that a few other local businessman had already looked at and discounted.

Brisbane BMW and Lamborghini CEO Martin Roller was interested in acquiring the Rolls-Royce franchise but backed out of the deal.


Roller, whose Sydney partner is trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, wanted Rolls-Royce to add to his stable of luxury brands which may also soon include Ferrari.

However Fox pulled the plug, feeling they could not sell enough Rolls-Royce cars in Queensland.

The BMW and Lamborghini chief said there was no question however that confidence had returned to the luxury car market.

Roller said on a good Saturday his group sold 10 new BMW cars from its Fortitude Valley showroom.

Following former PM Kevin Rudd's FBT changes to luxury cars, the number fell to just four, about seven weeks out from the election.


The Saturday of the Federal election he sold 14 cars on Saturday, the week after 18 cars and last Saturday - usually a perfect storm for BMW with the AFL Grand final, school holidays and Riverfire - they sold eight new cars.

"I can tell you the market is back and all the corporates are coming back,'' Roller said.

"So I am really pumped at the moment.''

Long time Rolls-Royce fan David Heaney, who owns a 1965 Silver Cloud, was pleased to hear the company's latest releases would be on show closer to home.

"I would love to tell you that I won't be going down there to have a look,'' he said.

"But I will be. I can't wait to have a look.''
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