Luxury car maker’s sales dip as firm goes £41m into the red

SALES for Bentley Motors have dipped by 23% to 2,033 cars in the first three months of 2016 and the company has plunged into the red to the tune of £41m.

This follows an 8% drop to 10,100 cars during the whole of 2015. The figures have been announced by the Crewe-based luxury car manufacturer which had an aspiration to sell 15,000 a year by 2018.

Bentley has suffered from a decline in popularity in key markets such as China and the Middle East. The £41m deficit compares to a £38m profit in the first quarter of 2015.

A spokesperson for Bentley told The Times: “Bentley Motors is investing more than ever before in research and development.

“This high level of investment combined with challenging conditions in China and the Middle East has had an impact on our car operating profit.”