The Volkswagen Group is streamlining: According to a media report, the British luxury subsidiary Bentley will in future be subordinate to Audi. The Ingolstadt-based company could in future deliver a kit for an all-terrain Bentley. However, VW has not yet wanted to comment.
According to a newspaper report, Volkswagen will place the luxury car brand Bentley under Audi starting next year. The "Automobilwoche" reports this with reference to corporate groups. Until now, the responsibility for Bentley on the VW group board rests with Porsche boss Oliver Blume. Bentley should now be dovetailed more closely with Audi, writes the "Automobilwoche" on.
For example, the Artemis project that has just started in Ingolstadt could also provide the kit for an all-terrain luxury sedan from the new Audi subsidiary. The project group is responsible for research and development at Audi. At first, Volkswagen did not receive any comments on the report.
Considerations for a further streamlining of the VW group have been going on for some time. CEO Herbert Diess said in 2018 that outsourcing was "conceivable" – but also expansions. As part of a structural reform, the luxury brands Bugatti, Bentley and Porsche were incorporated into the "Super Premium" subgroup in the world's largest car company. The "Premium" group consists of Audi and the Italian manufacturers Lamborghini and Ducati, which are held through the Ingolstadt subsidiary. The most important group "Volume" comprises the core brands VW, Skoda, Seat and the light VW commercial vehicles. The truck and bus manufacturers MAN and Scania are organized in the Traton Holding.
The VW subsidiary Bentley was back in the black in 2019 after a loss in the previous year. With sales of around 11,000 copies, the British earned 65 million euros. Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark last week expressed fears that if Great Britain exits the EU without a contract, the already manageable profit could further melt away.
.