Crewe, England - Like its arch-rival from Goodwood, Bentley enjoyed record demand for its cars in 2022.
For the first time ever, the British marque sold more than 15 000 vehicles in a year, with the tally reaching 15 174. Although that’s almost triple the 6 000 cars sold by Rolls-Royce, that number is small enough to retain the brand’s exclusivity. Consider that mainstream premium brands sell in the millions.
Given how SUVs have become the cash cows for many premium brands, it’s no surprise that the Bentayga was the top-selling Bentley of 2022, accounting for 42% of sales.
The Continental GT Coupé and Convertible range was second, with a 31% share, while the Flying Spur Sedan made up 28% of the mix. The recently introduced Hybrid model accounted for 30% of global Flying Spur sales, and 65% in its UK home market.
The British carmaker also saw a significant increase in demand for its Bentley Mulliner personal commissions, which have increased fivefold in the last five years.
The Americas were once again Bentley’s biggest market, gobbling up 28% of the pie, and followed by China (24%) and Europe (19%) while Africa and the Middle East trailed with 6%.
“In what was another year of unpredictability, the business overcame significant headwinds and demonstrated great resilience to deliver the third-consecutive record sales year,” said Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark.
“The reaction to the market introduction of our hybrid models, Flying Spur joining Bentayga last year, demonstrate the path the luxury sector is heading, and we are positioned firmly at the forefront.
“These numbers are validation that we not only lead the sector in sales and market share, but also investment in electric technologies and commitment to being net carbon neutral in 2030.”
Bentley plans to introduce its first fully electric car in 2025 and from there its transition will take place rapidly, with all Bentley models being battery-powered by 2030.