Premium car companies often like totalk about making every customer count. When Rolls-Royce Motors does so, it is difficult to doubt its sincerity.

The British super-luxury marque, owned by Germany's BMW, sells barely 800 cars a year. Retail prices for the company's Phantom cars start at $400,000 (£203,500) and models with many customised features can cost millions, making every sale made or forgone an event for the carmaker.