China overtakes US as Bentley’s No1 market

CHINA is now luxury car manufacturer Bentley’s number one market, it said today.

Announcing surging first quarter results with customer deliveries, up 46.6% on last year, the Crewe-based company said China had knocked the US off its perch as its largest market.

Chief executive Wolfgang Dürheimer hailed a “phenomenal start to 2012” by the business, which empoys around 4,000 people in Crewe.

Year-on-year deliveries for the three months to March 31 were up 46.6% ito 1,759.

In the China region the figures showed an 84.9% uplift with 578 cars delivered to customers. However, sales in the US, were also buoyant – up some 35.6% with 468 deliveries.

The results in the two biggest markets, were mirrored in Europe (+34.4%) with 207 deliveries, and sales in Middle East surged 82.6% with 168 cars delivered as the region bounced back from the social and political instability of 2011.

In the UK sales were flat, with 233 deliveries, reflecting the economic conditions affecting the automotive sector.

Mr Dürheimer said:“I am delighted that our first quarter performance has consolidated the growth we saw in 2011 and would like to welcome China to its new role as our largest market.”

“Bentley’s customers in China, as those elsewhere, value our emphasis on the finest craftsmanship and automotive engineering. They know that buying a Bentley is an unrivalled combination of luxury and performance.”

“With the unveiling of our SUV concept EXP 9 F we have had a phenomenal start to 2012 and expect to see continued growth over the rest of the year as the Continental V8 hits the global market.”