Bentley is about to add a luxury SUV to its portfolio.
Under previous chairman Franz-Josef Paefgen, Bentley recorded several remarkable achievements: It returned to Le Mans with a cleverly disguised Audi R10 and won. It sold more than 10,000 cars for the first time in 2007. It expanded its model range to six different body styles. So why is Bentley today not swimming in cash and commanding long waiting lists? Because management applied the classic "wood and leather and bagfuls of torque" formula instead of considering more timely approaches like low weight, high fuel efficiency, and a more varied portfolio. Enter Wolfgang Duerheimer, who now handles Bentley, Bugatti, and the VW Group's motorsports activities. Asked for his recipe to restore the winged B to its former glory, the new chairman answers immediately: "I am confident that we are going to see five figures again, but I need a bit more time to get there. Le Mans? It's like betting all your money on one rather dark horse. For Porsche, this is a no-brainer, but despite the admittedly interesting efficiency-based new homologation rules, Bentley won't compete there. I have a different idea. It revolves around a popular race series that is staged in North America, Europe, and Asia. That's a big podium -- big enough for Bentley, Audi, and Porsche. A rotational scheme could put the three brands through their paces in the three most important world markets with minimum investment and maximum effect. New products? Can't talk about them, obviously. But it's an open secret that Bentley is working on an SUV. It will be based on the next Cayenne/Q7 and is bound to attract at least 5000 buyers per year. In the States alone, I can see 20,000 potential customers -- all of them current Bentley owners. And all of them have an SUV in the garage."
Photo Gallery: Sneak Preview: Bentley - Automobile Magazine
Photo Gallery: Sneak Preview: Bentley - Automobile Magazine
Art Cross Geoff Crossley Chuck Daigh Yannick Dalmas Derek Daly Christian Danner Jorge Daponte Anthony Davidson
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