Bentley planning a new ultra-luxury SUV, likely to be hybrid model

KUALA LUMPUR: British luxury automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors may launch a new ultra-luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) to fill in the void left by Mulsanne. The company, in January, announced the retirement of the Mulsanne sedan with a special farewell edition. The Crewe-headquartered company plans to offer the new SUV in the upwards of $300,000 segment.

Speaking to automobile website Car and Driver, Bentley chairman and chief executive officer Adrian Hallmark, said that sales of four-door high-luxury sedans have plummeted over the years and cars like the Arnage and Mulsanne don’t make a sound business sense any more. The sales numbers simply don’t justify the massive expenses involved in producing a direct replacement for the Bentley Mulsanne. The cost required to meet emission and crash test norms for such cars is difficult to meet unless sales breach the 5,000-unit mark. Sales of just 400-500 units a year, doesn’t make sense, he said.
It was earlier touted that the Flying Spur would replace the Mulsanne as Bentley’s flagship model.

However, Hallmark said that while the company has plans to plug in Mulsanne’s void, the new vehicle won’t be a sports car. SUVs comprised 47 percent of Bentley’s sales last year. Over the years, SUVs have become a far more attractive proposition to luxury-car buyers, he said.

The new car won’t be a direct replacement for the Mulsanne and neither will it be an electric vehicle (EV), a first from Bentley. The planned Mulsanne replacement may have a hybrid powertrain and would be introduced after Bentley’s first all-electric car goes on sale in 2025. Hallmark clarified that the top-level luxury vehicle, regardless of its shape, won’t be hauled by a W-12 engine. He confirmed that the W-12 would be phased out soon.

The new car is unlikely to be the only SUV in the works as the Volkswagen-owned company has not entirely ruled out a Bentayga convertible. Recent images of the standard Bentayga have revealed that the car’s mid-cycle facelift would comprise a number of mild cosmetic changes. The updated Bentayga was spotted during a test in November. The car, reportedly, will retain the W12 motor but the powertrain will be tweaked to cut fuel costs.

Also Read: 2020 Bentley Flying Spur hits showrooms, priced at RM840k