Rolls Royce Company Information
The recent history of the Rolls-Royce Company has grown much more confusing since the company was founded by partners in 1906. The British automaker and aero-engine manufacturer split in 1973, with the auto making portion of the business gaining the name Rolls-Royce Motors. The company was acquired by Vickers seven years later, and in 1998 was sold again to Volkswagen, which was actually after the Rolls-Royce owned Bentley. The aero-engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce plc, licensed the Rolls-Royce name and logo to BMW instead of Volkswagen. This meant that Volkswagen had the rights to the Rolls-Royce mascot and the radiator grille design, but that BMW had the rights to the name. Later in 1998, a solution was finally reached that allowed Volkswagen to continue to produce the Rolls-Royce cars under the licensed name until 2002, at which time BMW would take over the Rolls-Royce, leaving Bentley for Volkswagen.