Rolls-Royce has announced that it will begin producing an off-road sports utility vehicle (SUV), The Telegraph reports, making the company's entrance into the market.
"Many discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car - and we have listened," company officials Peter Schwarzenbauer and Torsten Müller-Ötvös wrote in a joint letter, according to the newspaper.
"At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we are uniquely focused on the desires of our customers and are driven by our own thirst to innovate."
The revelation confirmed longtime rumors about the company looking to expand into the SUV market, which is said to have a high customer demand. David Cameron has also touted the decision, mentioning during a recent visit to a Rolls-Royce factory that the company has played a "vital role" in the United Kingdom economy.
Although Rolls-Royce has not released any concept art for future SUV development, it has mentioned that it will be a "high-bodied" vehicle based on all-aluminum architecture.
Ultimately, the company is looking to combine the luxury associated with its brand while incorporating off-road capabilities suited for rugged terrain.
"This car will embody all the values and capabilities that drove our two founding fathers to secure Rolls-Royce's reputation, early last century, by taking top honors in rigorous overland adventures such as the Scottish Reliability Trials, the London to Edinburgh event and the Alpine Trials," the company's joint letter also reads.
"Rolls-Royces conveyed pioneers and adventurers like Lawrence of Arabia across the vastness of unexplored deserts and over mountain ranges. In other parts of the world including Australia, India and the Americas, Rolls-Royces carried their owners over challenging terrain with absolute reliability and comfort. "History sets our precedent and our future calls us to action."
The car is expected to go on sale in 2016.
