Which British luxury car brand did BMW acquire from Volkswagen in 2003?

BMW acquired Rolls-Royce from Volkswagen in 2003, making Rolls-Royce the British luxury car brand in question.

The deal followed a complicated split of automotive assets and trademarks. Volkswagen had outbid BMW for Rolls-Royce Motors in 1998, gaining the factory, vehicle designs and Bentley brand. However, Rolls-Royce plc retained control of the Rolls-Royce name and logo and licensed them to BMW. BMW also supplied engines to the existing company.

The two German automakers later reached an agreement: Volkswagen kept producing Rolls-Royce-branded cars temporarily, while BMW obtained the essential brand rights and built a new factory at Goodwood in West Sussex. BMW’s Rolls-Royce Motor Cars began producing vehicles there in 2003, starting with the new Phantom.

A common mix-up is Bentley: Volkswagen acquired Bentley and the former Rolls-Royce production facilities, while BMW became responsible for modern Rolls-Royce cars. The modern BMW-owned company is separate from the pre-2003 Rolls-Royce automotive business in legal and corporate terms.