The Crew-based company sold just over
8,500 cars last year – 22 per cent higher than in 2011, but still down on the
2007 best-year total of 10,000.
Dr. Schreiber said the business case of
an SUV is “extremely positive”.
“If we receive the green light (from
the Board) we will enter the market in 2015-2016,” he added.
This suggests the company’s engineers
(and even possibly some UK-based subcontract powertrain consultancy companies)
have already carried out extensive studies into an ultra-luxury SUV, as well as
some vehicle engineering in order to make those dates achievable.
Sales and marketing director Kevin Rose
believes an SUV could add 3,000 to 4,000 sales a year to Bentley’s sales
figures in a full year. The US and China would take half the production, with
Russia a strong third market – that is if the current status within all three
regions remains as now. Bentley is already adding 20 new dealers to its Chinese
network.
