In a rather bold move, Bentley has announced it will be moving up its future vehicle launches by six months. Although the global auto market continues to hover around record lows, Bentley foresees a significant market improvement in 2010. As such, Bentley is timing its new vehicle launches with the perceived market improvement.
Stuart McCullough, Bentley’s board member for sales and marketing, revealed the shift in strategy to Automotive News. “We know that coming out of the dip is when new models will pay off,” McCullough said. “We have done enough work with our customers to understand what they are thinking and when they are likely to be back in the market.”
Although McCullough failed to mention which new Bentley model would move to the front of the refresh line, many expect the VW-owned automaker to launch a new version of its popular Continental GT coupe in 2010. The next-generation Continental GT – which has been on the market since 2004 — was originally slated for a 2011 launch.
Following the launch of the new Continental GT, Bentley is expected to release new versions of its Flying Spur sedan and Continental GTC convertible.
It remains to be seen if the market will recover as Bentley says it will, but the storied luxury marque desperately needs a shot in the arm. After selling a record 10,014 cars in 2007, Bentley’s sales figures totaled just 7,605 units last year – a drop off of more than 24 percent. Moreover, sales are down 70 percent so far this year, with a sales prediction of just 5,000 units in 2009.
