Bentley: Best sales since 2008

Bentley Sales 2011 - best first six months for three years

With all the gloom and doom around, from the Greek economy to public sector strikes to Libya, you’d be forgiven for expecting sales of luxury goods to be terrible. But you’d be wrong.

The rich of the world are getting richer and, with the rise and rise of new economies, the rich are growing bigger in number at a surprising rate.

With that in mind it’s perhaps no surprise that Bentley are reporting sales in the first six months of 2011 up by 20% on last year, which was itself up by 11% from an, admittedly miserable, 2009.

Much of the increase is being put down to the new Bentley Continental GT, and China. The two seem to be a mix made in Bentley heaven, as we reported back in May when we learned that Bentley had sold a quarter of all its cars in the first four months of 2011 to customers in China.

That sales success has continued with China showing an increase of 57% in 2011 for a total of 533 cars sold. The US remains the top market with the Americas as a whole taking 907 cars (23% of sales), with the UK market chipping in a plucky 533 cars (up 6%).

Japan was down because of the post-tsunami problems and the Gulf also saw a decline because of the Arab Spring turmoil. Without those hiccups Bentley’s performance would have been even stronger.

Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer said:

Interest in our product range is increasing and with our largest markets achieving significant growth we are on track to meet our targets for the full year.

It’s an exciting time for Bentley as we continue to invest in new product development, the results of which will be seen for months to come. With more new model launches later this year we foresee this growth continuing into 2012 and beyond.

At this rate the UK is going to end up with a properly thriving motor industry. And in the depths of a recession at that.

(25 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK