Latest news with #Whispers
2 days ago
- Automotive
'Race to the bottom': Why Rolls-Royce is not chasing volume like its competitors
It's not an easy time to sell cars. Tariffs, recession chatter, political uncertainty -- these factors are upending the sales environment for mainstream and luxury automakers alike. Jon Colbeth, the newly appointed president of Rolls-Royce North America, recognizes these hurdles. He's making a point to reach out to the brand's new and longtime customers to make them feel like family. Every day he checks the company's Whispers app, where owners can connect with each other and yes, message Colbeth at all hours of the day. The app, which launched right before the pandemic, is a "digital extension to the Rolls-Royce marque," according to Rolls executives. "There's probably not many brands where you can pick up your phone and in an instant message the CEO of the company," Colbeth told ABC News. "I respond to all the requests -- I try to get back very quickly. [Clients] like that personal access." Rolls-Royce is in the process of expanding its footprint in Goodwood, England, the location of the brand's global headquarters and factory. The company sold 5,712 vehicles last year, its third-best annual sales result. Colbeth explained that the company is quite content with smaller sales than other top automakers, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini. "Our customers like the fact that we're not going to start chasing volume," he said. Colbeth opened up about his goals for the brand, especially in the U.S., "maintaining the pinnacle of luxury" and why knobs and buttons are more important than ever. The interview below has been edited. Q: What are you hearing from customers? What do they want from the brand right now? A: We've seen a big push toward individuality and bespoke over the last few years, especially with the launch of our Private Office. Clients want their own unique commission. Q: The seems to be an emerging trend of showcasing a brand's logo on a vehicle, such as the hood, which Mercedes-Maybach has done with its SL convertible. Is this something Rolls would consider? A: No. Whether it's our vehicles or it's our accessories, it's more understated. If you look at any of the products we're coming out with, you're not going to see the Rolls-Royce logo plastered over everything. Q: Your predecessor put a lot of effort into attracting a younger clientele and it worked for the brand. What's your focus? A: That will continue. We're looking at different experiences with [clients]. We're always bringing new clients into the brand. When they join Rolls-Royce, they're joining our family and everything that comes along with it. We need to grow the future of Rolls-Royce. We've been around for 120 years ... and we're going to be around for a long time. We're stewards of the brands. Our responsibility is to cherish it. Q: How important are celebrities for branding and marketing? A: We're not a celebrity-based business. We're not going out there and paying a celebrity a significant amount of money to drive a Rolls-Royce. The brand speaks for itself. People are not buying our cars because a celebrity is driving it. We don't want to be the car for everybody. It's not what we're about. We're investing $370 million in our [U.K.] plant extension without making more vehicles. What brand does that? Our focus is adding bespoke capacity and allowing each commission to be more special for clients. Q: What's demand been like for the all-electric Spectre? Are customers still trading in their Teslas for a Spectre? A: It's reaching more of a stabilization phase. I haven't met one customer yet whose driven that car and didn't love it. Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first. It just happens to have an electric drivetrain in it. Q: What's inventory like at U.S. dealers? A: It depends on the dealer. There's probably some inventory out there. Our goal is not to store a lot of inventory. We want the vehicles to be special to our clients. Our customers understand they may have to wait to get what they want. Q: What's demand like for pre-owned Rolls-Royces? A: We've seen an increase in demand this year for pre-owned Rolls-Royces. That's a really important segment to us. That's almost the springboard into a new one. Q: What has Rolls-Royce told customers about pricing related to the tariffs? A: Right now we have price protected everything through the end of June. That's where we're at right now. The most important thing is providing stability to our clients. We've had a relatively cautious approach [toward the tariffs]. The worst thing you can do is make rash decisions that are tough to unwind. Q: As you mentioned, the company is making a huge investment at the Goodwood headquarters. Why not build more cars to boost the bottom line? A: Our customers like the fact that we're not going to start chasing volume. That's not our business model. Once the company starts going after 10,000 cars, then it's 15,000 cars. Then what happens is you expand the plant, now you have to fill it. You have to keep that plant moving. It's a race to the bottom. There are plenty of manufacturers with very expensive cars out there with full showrooms right now. We want to invest in the brand, we want to continue investing in the brand, but we want to grow it with bespoke. If somebody is going to buy a new Rolls-Royce, they want to make sure it's their Rolls-Royce. The only way to do that is to personalize it. A: Our clients love being able to touch the knobs and interact with them. They love when the vents get humidity on them from the AC. Our cars will advance from a technical perspective internally. Once you become too futuristic and this trend with big screens -- it takes away from the client experience a little bit. I would doubt we would see that trend anytime soon.
Tom's Guide
28-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tom's Guide
Keen Whisper sandals review: Not-so-cheap, not-so-cheerful
If you enjoy long walks and casual hiking, you'll need a pair of sandals that's breathable and quick to dry — like the Keen Whisper sandals for women. These sandals feature an easy-to-wear pull-on design so you can put them on within seconds, and they have toe protectors that keep debris and pebbles out. If you want to take them to the beach, they're quick drying, too. But these aren't the most comfortable sandals out there. While they're comfortable for everyday use, their straps tend to rub against little toes, and the arch support feels non-existent. The Whispers aren't earning any accolades at Paris Fashion Week either. Should you ditch the best hiking boots for these? Read my full Keen Whisper sandals review to find out. Specs Keen Whisper Price $120 / £90 Size availability (women's) U.S. 5-12 U.K. 2.5-9.5 Weight 9.88 ounces per sandal Colors (women's) Various, including: Granite Green/Peach Parfait, Black/Magnet, Cayenne/Fired Brick, Original Tie Dye, Taupe/Coral, etc. Material PFAS-free polyester Waterproofing Yes (no Gore-Tex) The Keen Whisper sandals are available for women only. In the U.S., they have a retail price of $120 at both Amazon and the Keen webstore. In the U.K., they retail for £90 at both Amazon and Keen. These sandals come in 13 different colors, and I won't bore you by listing all of them, but some examples include Cayenne/Fired Brick, Original Tie Dye, Dark Shadow/Ceramic and Chalk Violet/English Lavender. I tested the Granite Green/Peach Parfait colorway, which looks good but is bright enough to draw a fair bit of attention. There's also a range of sizes available. Americans will be able to buy the sandals in sizes 5-12, while Brits can get them in sizes 2.5-9.5. Half sizes are available in both countries, too. As I said, the Whispers are available for women only, but I'd honestly describe them as unisex, at least in the darker colorways. Men don't need to feel left out, though, as the Keen Hyperport H2 sandals ($120) are great alternatives available in both men's and women's sizes, and share the same price. Much like the Keen Hyperport H2 sandals, the Keen Whispers have what can be best described as a divisive design. As someone who rotates between Doc Martens, the Keen Zionic Mid hiking boots ($170) and the Salomon Super Cross 4 Gore-Tex shoes, the Whispers aren't shoes I'd usually go for. You get to choose from 13 different colorways, as I mentioned. Personally, I don't think any of the colors (yes, even black) make the sandals more fashionable. But I suppose the primary focus here is function over form. And that almost rings true, because the Whispers are comfortable… but not for long periods. Let's start with the things the sandals do well first. The Whispers are wearable straight out of the box and don't need to be broken in, just like the Zionic Mids. They sport a pull-on design with zero velcro or laces so you can slip them on in seconds. They can then be tightened via the bungee lacing. Unlike the Hyperport H2s, the Whispers sport Keen's Contoured Fit design (also seen on the Zionic Mids), which, compared to a straight or wide fit, is narrower. This helps the sandals fit snugly around your feet. The soles have a decent level of bounciness to them. The foam midsoles have lightweight cushioning, while the insoles' foam is shock-absorbent. The latter provides impact protection from the ground, floors and pavement. If you jump from, say, a boulder to the ground, you won't feel the impact as much as you would with sandals/shoes that aren't shock-absorbent. Each sandal also features rubber toe protectors — or 'bumpers,' as Keen calls them. These keep rocks and debris from getting in, especially when traversing rocky terrain or standing on a sandy seabed. It works as intended. No debris got inside the sandals when I stood in an ankle-depth stream in the woods. The protectors also shielded my toes effectively when walking over muddy and pebbly ground, too. Not all is right in the world, though. While my feet remained free of blisters after four days of wearing the Whispers, each morning I hesitated to wear them again. That's because the sandals' front straps kept rubbing against my pinky toes, and it kept happening regardless of how tightly or loosely I wore the Whispers. Wearing socks negated the issue, so that's what I did the second time I went on a long walk — but I immediately felt my coolness factor drop another few points. Another issue with the Whispers is that the arch support feels non-existent. Arch support helps with proper weight distribution and posture maintenance, so having none can add extra pressure to certain parts of your feet, which ultimately can result in fatigue and discomfort — I'll discuss my experience in the performance section below. The Keen Whispers are a decent pair of sandals, but I don't think they're as good as the Keen Hyperports H2s. I found the Whispers more comfortable while wearing socks, but this meant that I had to be careful dipping my feet into water lest I have soggy socks. The Whispers are great for trails and walks, thanks to how grippy they are. I went on a few long walks in and around Bath and Bristol in south-west England, and I found the sandals up to the task, whether walking on jagged rocks, a muddy woodland floor, or gravel. I didn't lose my grip even when jumping from a boulder to the ground. While the Whispers aren't the lightest sandals, weighing 9.88 ounces each, they still didn't feel so heavy that I was dragging my feet. They're heavier than the Hyperport H2s (9.2oz each) and the Keen Zionic Mids (8.11oz each). I still had a spring in my step when wearing the Whispers. As is the nature of sandals, I found the Whispers very breathable. My feet didn't get too hot or sweaty even when walking in 26°C / 78.8°F heat. The Whispers also utilize eco-friendly, pesticide-free anti-odor technology that keeps bad smells at bay, so you don't have to worry about bad odor emitting from them after a long day of walking. Similar to other Keen shoes and sandals, the Whispers use Keen's proprietary waterproofing rather than Gore-Tex. Water will, of course, get in because these sandals aren't closed off. But the good news is that they're quick to dry. To test this out, I drenched the Whispers in the shower and left them to dry in indirect sunlight indoors, timing how long it took. After just under two hours, the Whispers were bone-dry again. This makes them great for use on the beach, and the toe protector will also keep debris and small pebbles/rocks out. Like I said, the Whispers aren't the most stylish sandals, which may affect how often you'd like to wear them every day. That said, they're great if you want to run errands around town or pop to the grocery store (as I did). Naturally, they are just as grippy on tarmac and pavements as on rugged terrains when hiking. The pull-on design also means that you can quickly slip them on if, say, you need to run to the grocery store in the middle of making dinner because you forgot to buy mushrooms (speaking from experience). If you want sandals more about function than form, the Keen Whisper sandals might be for you. They're much easier — and quicker — to wear than boots and shoes, thanks to the pull-on design, while their toe protectors ensure your toes remain unscathed regardless of the terrain. I also really appreciate how quick the Whispers are to dry. I wear boots all the time, and a problem I encounter frequently is that while they keep water from my socks, they can sometimes take a very long time to dry. But it's important to note that the Whispers aren't the most comfortable. Yes, they're good for everyday use and are grippy on all terrains, but their straps tend to rub against your little toes. I wish the arch support were better, too. And I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but the Whispers aren't particularly… attractive. I'd recommend the Keen Hyperport H2 sandals as a better alternative, frankly. Everyone keeps telling me that I need to give sandals a chance, but given that the Whispers left me feeling short-changed, that will have to wait.
