Take a look at the Rolls-Royces and Bentleys (Proper ones, not the footballer specials) of the last…gosh, even 30-40 years, and they have been unbelievably conservative in their evolution. They don’t have to feel fresh because fresh is not part of their DNA.

The luxury arena is not a market segment that responds well to rapid, frequent changes in fashion. God knows I wouldn’t if I’d just laid out £312,000 on a Rolls Phantom Drop-head.

My take on it is that these cars are considered long term investments by the traditional core of buyers and to have your investment outdated on a 5-8 year model cycle is not the done thing!

It’s this ability to sit above the normal premium market forces that explains the relative successes of the Phantoms and the Bentley Arnage/Brooklands/Azure compared to Maybach.

When Mercedes styled the ‘bach along the lines of an inflated S-Class from the same era they immediately tied it to a design theme that was going to be outdated when a new S-Class came along. The car is already looking terribly dated and it’s not an easy design to evolve as there’s no real distinction to it.

Does this evolutionary approach make sense in today’s market? More so than ever in my eyes. It helps reaffirm Rolls Royce’s image as builders of the automotive equivalent of the Rock of Ages, weathering the storms (economic or otherwise) and sheltering their owners from the worst of the world. Security and consistency are the two words that come to mind.

As a designer, I personally prefer this type of approach, but admittedly consumers may not agree. Does it still make sense in today’s market?