Skip advert
Advertisement

Bentley to increase focus on bespoke cars after record year

After its operating profit rose to £621m in 2022, Bentley plans to produce more personalised and bespoke vehicles

Bentley sales

Bentley is to overhaul its production lines to allow an even greater focus on personalised and bespoke vehicles, as the British luxury brand looks to build on record profits and sales figures during 2022.

The Crewe manufacturer has announced that it came close to doubling its operating profit over its 2021 level, soaring from 389 million euros (£341m) to 708 million euros (£621m) as it delivered more vehicles than ever before – 15,174 units. This is a four-per cent increase in sales volume, but the brand’s overall revenue jumped by 19 per cent as customers added greater numbers of bespoke personalisation options to each vehicle. All told, Bentley has now delivered a billion-euro turnaround in profit since 2018, when it posted a loss of nearly €300m.

Speaking to Auto Express, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark revealed that current building work at Crewe will allow the company to accommodate even more of the bespoke options within a more flexible manufacturing process, as it aims to at least sustain a profit margin of more than 20 per cent. “One of key things we’ve succeeded with is getting that personalised content into the production system,” Hallmark said. “We’ve had to make a lot of changes to the way we build cars to do that.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

“And now what we’re doing, with the building work that’s ongoing here at Crewe, is moving some of the processes to a different hall so we’ll be able to have, alongside the two main lines, an area where we can take more time with personalised cars, or Mulliners, without disrupting the main production flow. We’re going to take our whole ability with car colours, trims and options to another level.”

Hallmark added that he is aiming to quadruple the bespoke Mulliner business, including adding further bespoke vehicles like the sold-out Bacalar and Batur. “We want to develop Mulliner to build even more special cars,” he said. “That means limited-edition runs of core products, but also small series of these high-value cars for collectors.”

Bentley’s push towards electrification is well under way, and Hallmark said that the recent realignment within the VW Group – and Audi’s decision to abandon its Artemis project, which would have shared a platform with Bentleys – will not delay his brand’s plans. “Yes, the Artemis version of that architecture is gone,” he said, “but Audi will still lead the development for the top-end segment cars. All of our needs are fully integrated into the work on those new architectures, and we, Porsche and Lamborghini will all use different aspects to create a powerful portfolio.

“If you look at the past 20 years, all of our products have been on platforms that we’ve taken and extensively adapted. We’ve had to do that retrospectively. With EVs, we don’t have to adapt anything. We can put more money into the ‘Bentleyness’. So it’s a huge opportunity for us.”

Click here for our list of the best luxury cars on sale...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Editor-at-large

John started journalism reporting on motorsport – specifically rallying, which he had followed avidly since he was a boy. After a stint as editor of weekly motorsport bible Autosport, he moved across to testing road cars. He’s now been reviewing cars and writing news stories about them for almost 20 years.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024: new cars and highlights
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024 - MG sculpture
News

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024: new cars and highlights

2024’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was a celebration of over 130 years of engine tech, but it also looked well into the future
17 Jul 2024
Bentley W12 engine is dead: long live the ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ powertrain
New Bentley 'Ultra Performance Hybrid' engine
News

Bentley W12 engine is dead: long live the ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ powertrain

The iconic 12-cylinder Bentley engine bids farewell after 21 years of service
8 May 2024
New Bentley Batur Convertible is the final open-top W12 Bentley
Bentley Batur Convertible - front
News

New Bentley Batur Convertible is the final open-top W12 Bentley

The third installation of Mulliner’s coachbuild series will be the last convertible W12-engined Bentley
7 May 2024
Genesis GV70 review
Genesis GV70 - front tracking
In-depth reviews

Genesis GV70 review

The Genesis GV70 is a well equipped, refined and luxurious family SUV that’s good enough to rival German models
11 Apr 2024

Most Popular

New Tesla Model 2: CEO Elon Musk reaffirms affordable, entry-level electric car will arrive in 2025
Tesla 'Model 2' teaser image
News

New Tesla Model 2: CEO Elon Musk reaffirms affordable, entry-level electric car will arrive in 2025

The baby Tesla, also referred to as as project ‘Redwood’, is scheduled to enter production in the first half of 2025
24 Jul 2024
Car Deal of the Day: brand-new VW ID.7 EV with 381-mile range for less than you’d expect
Volkswagen ID.7 - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: brand-new VW ID.7 EV with 381-mile range for less than you’d expect

If you want an electric car that can go the distance, then maybe you should consider our Deal of the Day for 23 July
23 Jul 2024
'Luxury car' tax grab to hit 70% of EVs, fuelling calls for exemption
Luxury car tax
News

'Luxury car' tax grab to hit 70% of EVs, fuelling calls for exemption

New Labour Government urged by UK motor industry to address concerns of potential EV purchasers and boost uptake of electric vehicles among private bu…
25 Jul 2024