UK: Rolls-Royce car sales soar 33%

Sales of luxury Rolls-Royce cars, which cost millions of rand, have soared worldwide. The UK-based manufacturer said yesterday that global sales in the first half of the year were up 33 percent compared with the same period last year. Sales in Europe were up more than 60 percent, and in Asia Pacific by nearly 40 percent, it said. Middle East sales gained 30 percent, and growth in China and the US was in double digits. BMW, which owns Rolls-Royce, saw vehicles sales rise almost 7 percent across the group in the period. BMW car sales were up 10 percent, but Mini sales fell 10 percent.– Sapa-AP