Bentley Motors crafts ultra-luxury British vehicles with over 100 hours of skilled hand assembly, focusing on bespoke customization and a shift to full EV by...
summary: "British ultra-luxury brand — Bentley handcrafts vehicles for royalty and billionaires, with each car taking over 100 hours to build and prices starting at $230,000."
read_when:
- Analyzing ultra-luxury automotive economics and personalization models
- Studying Bentley's electrification strategy (Bentayga Hybrid, upcoming EV)
- Researching hand-crafted manufacturing in the age of automation
- Examining VW Group's ultra-luxury brand portfolio management
Bentley Motors
Overview
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of ultra-luxury vehicles, founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley. Now a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Bentley handcrafts approximately 15,000 vehicles annually at its Crewe, England facility, with each car requiring over 100 hours of skilled labor. Prices range from $230,000 for a Continental GT to over $500,000 for bespoke Mulliner editions, serving the world's wealthiest automotive buyers.
历史时间线
1919: W.O. Bentley (ex-RAF engine designer) founds Bentley Motors in Cricklewood, London
1920s-30s: Bentley wins Le Mans five times (1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930) — "Bentley Boys" era
1931: Bankruptcy — Rolls-Royce acquires Bentley
1998: VW Group acquires Bentley (Rolls-Royce goes to BMW)
2003: Continental GT launches — transforms Bentley from staid to desirable
2006: Continental GT becomes Bentley's best-selling model ever
2015: Bentayga SUV launches — first ultra-luxury SUV, $230K+ starting price
2019: Centenary year — 100th anniversary celebrated globally
2021: Announces full EV transition by 2030 — "Beyond100" strategy
2023: Continental GT Mulliner starts at $500,000+; customization options unlimited
