Rolls sales drive HR Owen profits uplift

Luxury car seller HR Owen announced yesterday that a strong performance by Rolls-Royce and Bentley showrooms towards the end of the year meant 2012 profits will beat forecasts.

The group refurbished and put a new team into its flagship Rolls and Bentley showroom in Berkeley Square, London over the summer, which boosted sales. This complemented a strong first half in the Ferrari and Lamborghini franchises.

"It is still the same groups – newly-made entrepreneurs, rich foreigners who live in the UK and the traditional wealthy British families – who are buying," said HR Owen chief executive Joe Doyle.

"Both new and used car sales were up year-on-year."