British luxury car maker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars reported record sales for 2022 on Monday, as it sold more than 6,000 vehicles for the first time in the company’s 118-year history, despite falling demand from Chinese customers, Reuters.Agerpres reported.

The British manufacturer, which is owned by Germany’s BMW Group, said it delivered 6,021 vehicles in 2022, up 8% from 5,586 vehicles in 2021, when Rolls-Royce’s previous sales record was set.

Sales of Rolls-Royce luxury cars were supported by the two Americas, led by the US, which remained the most important market, responsible for around 35% of sales.

However, in China, Rolls-Royce’s second-largest market, restrictions imposed amid the coronavirus pandemic have led to a single-digit decline in luxury car sales.

However, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Otves noted that the decline in the Chinese market was balanced by growth in other markets.

Rolls Royce expects an equally successful 2023

“Our order book runs until 2023 for all models,” said Torsten Müller-Otwesch.

The automaker said separately that pre-orders for its first all-electric Spectre, which will go on sale in late 2023, have exceeded expectations.

Chief executive Torsten Müller-Otves also said the growth expected in 2023 would come despite the suspension of Rolls-Royce sales in Russia, a market where it normally sells 250 to 300 units a year, as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

The company, which currently has 2,500 employees, says its customers are willing to pay around half a million euros for a bespoke Rolls-Royce.