by Nick Carey
LONDON (Reuters) – British luxury car maker Bentley, a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, had a banner year in 2021, benefiting from strong demand for very high-end vehicles.
Its worldwide sales increased by 31% last year, to 14,659 units, against 11,206 in 2020 which was already a record year for the manufacturer despite production stoppages caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Sales of high-end and luxury cars have increased in key markets like China and the United States, as travel restrictions put in place by authorities to stem the epidemic have left affluent customers with even more income. available.
Bentley’s sales jumped 39% in the Americas and 40% in China, with the two markets together accounting for nearly 60% of the automaker’s total sales.
“2021 has been another year full of surprises but I am delighted to be able to confirm that we have weathered significant headwinds and achieve a breakthrough in our sales performance,” said Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Bentley, in a statement. .
The Bentayga luxury SUV, starting at around 150,000 pounds (179,451 euros), remained Bentley’s best-selling model, with a new hybrid option boosting sales.
The luxury car maker has pledged to go fully electric by 2030.
(Report Nick Carey; French version Khadija Adda-Rezig, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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