Bentley reports 22% global sales growth

Bentley Motors bared positive financial results for 2012, reporting a significantly increased operating profit of 100.5 million euros compared to 8 million euros in 2011. Bentley boosted its total turnover by 29.9 percents, with its profit margin increasing by 7 percent.

Demonstrating its global reach, exports accounted for 87.3 percent of Bentley’s total turnover, equating to a total export value of  1.269 billion euros.  The company’s market share in the luxury segment also rose by 4.9 percentage points to 20.1 percent.

Bentley also made a strong start in deliveries to customers, which grew by 39.5 percent in the first two months of 2013.  “With the new Flying Spur due to arrive in the middle of the year we expect to see a double-digit growth rate for the rest of 2013,” Bentley chair and CEO Wolfgang Schreiber said.

The global growth and expansion of the Bentley brand was driven by 16 new global dealers in 2012, taking the total number to 173 dealerships in 50 countries. This year, 40 more new Bentley showrooms will open globally.

“Our performance in 2012 and in the beginning of 2013 underlines Bentley’s position as the leading manufacturer of luxury vehicles and a truly global brand. Through sound investment and product planning, we now have the strongest model lineup ever and are increasing our market share, ” Schreiber said.

The results follow another success in 2012, in which the company achieved global growth of 22 percent with 8,510 cars delivered to customers, the top three regions comprises the United States (2,457), China (2,253) and the United Kingdom (1,031).

These sales were driven by the introduction of new models such as the Continental GT and GTC V8.  The Continental family accounted for 62 percent of total sales, the Flying Spur, 25 percent and the Mulsanne, 13 percent.