(Crewe, England. 5 December 2011). Welcome to the new sound of Bentley. Stirring and thunderous, it is the prelude to a potent new Bentley driving experience that begins in 2012.
- Bentley Motors is the third largest R&D investor in the UK's automotive sector and the 18th largest nationally. The company employs almost 4,000 people in Crewe which is home to all its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury vehicle manufacturers such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley exports over £500m worth of goods every year to established markets like the US, as well as emerging markets such as China and South America.
- Bentley’s global sales to the end of October increased by 33% on the same period last year with 5379 cars delivered to customers. The surge in sales has been driven by demand for Bentley's newly launched Continental GT – which is now available in all markets and accounts for around a third of all sales. The popularity of the brand in China continues to increase, with sales up by just under 90% and passing the 1000 mark for the first time ever in September. However, every major market saw growth with the Americas up 33% and Continental Europe up 37%, led by continuing growth in Germany where sales have increased by over half. With the imminent arrival in showrooms of the new Continental GTC, Bentley expects to increase its overall sales by around 40% to 7000 cars sold in 2011.