Bentley Motors has confirmed it will continue with the development of the Bentley SUV, which will be the fourth model line of the company.
A 2016 launch date is expected for the Crewe-produced SUV, which will add 1,000+ jobs in the UK. The company will be investing more than £800 million in its Crewe HQ and in developing new models.
The SUV is expected to be a thoroughbred Bentley living up to the luxury, performance, quality and craftsmanship standards of the revered British marque. Its styling will be in line with Bentley design DNA and it is planned to set new highs in performance and luxury for SUVs in the market. Customer response over the last 16 months to the SUV has been extremely encouraging.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron expressed his pleasure at the £800 million investment and the potential creation of 1,000 jobs by Bentley. Business Secretary Vince Cable welcomed the commitment from Bentley and believed that the positive industrial strategy proved the Government’s commitment to work with strong and world-class companies to create jobs and exports. Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen Group, reaffirmed the VW Group’s faith in the UK being competitive for industrial production. Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, added that the new model line from Bentley would leverage the success seen in the SUV market across the world.
