Goodwood-based luxury car company Rolls-Royce had a record year in 2011, it has been announced.

The company sold 3,538 cars worldwide in 2011 - 31% more than in 2010 and more than the previous record year of 1978 when the figure was 3,347.

The record sales follow the announcement last September that Rolls-Royce intend to expand its manufacturing plant at Goodwood in West Sussex. Work on this will begin in February.

It will come as no surprise to some that China was the company's biggest market last year, followed by the United States and the UK, where there was 30% growth.

Commenting on the firm's success, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos said: "We had an outstanding year in 2011 and we should take a moment to reflect on this great British success story."

He went on: "Our business is in excellent shape. We are developing our dealer network, moving into new markets like South America, expanding our manufacturing operation in West Sussex to meet global demand and have plans to develop our product range.

"At the core of this extraordinary success is a dedicated, committed and, above all, passionate workforce."