The 21st Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition officially opened on November 17th. The development of smart cars and new energy vehicles is not only a revolution in transportation, but also a change in lifestyle and mindset. As competition in the new energy vehicle market continues to intensify, more new products and technologies will emerge. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show will showcase the latest technological achievements brought about by the development of smart cars and the new changes they bring to consumers under the theme of “New Technology, New Life.”
Different executives expressed their views on this. Arke, the Executive General Manager of Bentley Motors China Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, and the Group General Manager of Volkswagen Sales Limited, stated that the Bentley vehicles exhibited at the Guangzhou International Auto Show will be officially delivered to the market earlier next year.
At that time, Bentley will significantly improve the intelligence of the vehicles, including functions such as remote parking assistance, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Bentley plans to launch its first pure electric vehicle model in 2026 and aims to achieve full electrification of its entire lineup by 2030.
The following is a transcript of an interview:
Sina Auto: What are the highlights of the Bentley Bentayga Long Wheelbase MULLINER Edition, which made its first appearance in China at the Guangzhou Auto Show?
An Ruoke: The Bentley Bentayga Long Wheelbase MULLINER Edition integrates the extraordinary craftsmanship of Bentley’s MULLINER division and the characteristics of the long wheelbase version of the Bentayga. It is the brand’s ultra-luxurious flagship, incorporating details such as the “twin diamond” front grille previously seen on the Continental GT MULLINER Edition, now also fitted to the Bentayga Long Wheelbase MULLINER Edition. Other highlights include the “MULLINER” exclusive lettering on the side wing intake, 22-inch MULLINER exclusive wheels with self-leveling hub caps, and chrome grilles on the lower body, all of which make the overall appearance of the vehicle more elegant and refined. The interior is also filled with unique and exquisite designs that convey a healthy and enjoyable travel concept. From the MULLINER three-dimensional illuminated door sills and premium wool carpets to the three-dimensional diamond-cut trim, a variety of personalized finishes showcase the luxurious elegance of the Bentayga Long Wheelbase MULLINER Edition.
Sina Auto: Will Bentley have any achievements in the field of intelligence and electrification in the future?
An Ruoke: Bentley continues to update and iterate in the field of intelligence. The Bentley models exhibited at the Guangzhou International Auto Show today will be officially delivered to the market earlier next year. By then, Bentley will significantly improve the intelligence of the vehicles, including functions such as remote parking assistance, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control, among others. In terms of electrification, both the Bentley Flying Spur and Bentayga models have already launched plug-in hybrid versions. Based on the “Beyond100” business strategy, Bentley plans to introduce plug-in hybrid versions for all models by 2025, and the first fully electric Bentley model is planned for 2026, with the goal of achieving full electrification of all models by 2030.
Sina Auto: What sustainable sales and financial measures has Bentley taken? An Ruoke: Bentley has taken measures to ensure sustainable development in sales and finance. How can these ideas be reflected in super luxury travel.
An Ruike: Bentley has a large number of incentives and plans to achieve comprehensive carbon neutrality. From material procurement, production processes to the electrification plan of the powertrain, it practices the concept of sustainable development in all aspects. For example, at the Bentley headquarters factory in Crewe, England, we have built the largest solar power parking lot in the UK. The area of solar panels installed is equivalent to 9 football fields, which can meet an average of 75% of the daytime power demand of the Bentley headquarters factory, and can supply 100% of the factory’s electricity at its peak. It can achieve a reduction of about 407,477 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, and the energy supplied to the factory is completely renewable, ensuring that the factory is 100% powered by green energy. I would like to share a sustainable project that I personally like. The entire ecological environment system is currently facing the challenge of a significant decrease in the number of bees. Bees are a key medium for pollinating various plants and crops. They also have a very special connection with Bentley. The Bentley logo is called “Flying B”, which is pronounced the same as the English word for bee. We have established a honey production center at the Bentley headquarters factory in Crewe, England, and set up beehives around the factory, hoping to create a healthier ecosystem that is more conducive to the reproduction and growth of bee colonies. After years of efforts, the number of Bentley bee colonies has exceeded 1 million. This is just one of the many measures Bentley has taken to improve the local environment and is also part of Bentley’s “Beyond100” business strategy. Sustainability projects should not be isolated one or two projects, but should run through all work, the entire process, covering the entire industry and the entire industry chain. Another important sustainable innovation of Bentley is reflected in the leather tanning process. The leather tanning process can make the leather softer and more luxurious to the touch, but the tanning process requires the use of some chemicals, which are not very environmentally friendly. In order to meet customer expectations and solve environmental problems, Bentley innovatively used olive-tanned leather for the first time in the automotive industry. The alternative chemical olive oil industry can achieve truly sustainable leather tanning, without compromising soft luxurious feel, while meeting Bentley’s highest expectations. Bentley also requires authorized dealer networks to be completely green in terms of carbon footprint, hiring a third-party independent organization to evaluate the dealers and requiring dealers to have their own sustainable plans to achieve carbon neutrality. Bentley’s booth at this year’s auto show also focuses on selecting environmentally friendly materials. Bentley’s sales have reached record highs in 2021 and 2022, with strong performance in China. This year’s performance in China is slightly lower than the record performance of the previous two years, but this is due to economic factors and does not cause particular concern. Bentley is confident that the Chinese economy and ultra-luxury car market will continue to grow, and they aim to remain the leading brand in the super luxury car market in China. The average age of Bentley’s customers in China is now under 40, at least 10 years younger than the global average of over 50. The trend of a younger customer base is evident globally, but it seems to be even more pronounced in China. This may be due to the rapid digitalization in China, which has provided more opportunities for success for young people. Bentley’s sales have been steadily increasing in recent years, with a large number of young and successful entrepreneurs now making up our customer base. Another clear trend is the increasing proportion of female car owners in the Chinese market, with nearly 30% of owners being women. Their favorite model is the Bentayga SUV.
Sina Auto: What are your expectations for the development of MULLINER’s personalized custom models in China? Will there be any adjustments for the Chinese market? Many domestic brands are also moving towards the high-end market. What is your view on this process?
An Ruike: The young customer base in China is growing, and they have a strong preference for showcasing their individuality through personalized options for their exclusive vehicles. In fact, the personalized design details of the Bentley vehicles showcased at the Guangzhou Auto Show were not created by Bentley’s headquarters designers, but were a collaboration between Bentley’s MULLINER department designers and local dealers in Guangdong. The dealers have a better understanding of local customers and can truly reflect their tastes and preferences, providing inspiration for the customization details. The traditional popular black sedan is slowly decreasing in popularity, which is actually good for Bentley because of its strong customization capabilities. Bentley’s personalized customization department, MULLINER, can create unique and exclusive vehicles based on customer preferences. In the past few years, the number of orders for MULLINER’s personalized customization has tripled, making it a very important part of Bentley’s business. Dealers have a deep understanding of the preferences of local customers in the Chinese market and can help customers make decisions about personalized options. The Bentley car headquarters factory in Crewe, UK offers countless customization options, and customized commissions from dealers around the world are showcased in the MULLINER department’s studio. We look forward to creating a Bentley car personalized customization center in China in the future, hoping that Chinese customers can experience the complete MULLINER customization service without having to fly to the UK. The Bentayga long wheelbase MULLINER edition, which made its first appearance in China at the Guangzhou Auto Show, is a Bentley brand specifically designed to meet the expectations of Chinese customers for a larger and more luxurious SUV. The current Bentayga long wheelbase version accounts for nearly 60% of Bentayga orders in China. Research by the Bentley brand on the behavior of Chinese customers in the car shows that Chinese customers tend to hold meetings and work in the rear seats of the vehicle, or take a nap and recharge on the way to the next meeting. Based on this research, Bentley has further upgraded the rear seat experience, introducing the new Bentley Aviation Grade Seat Package, with 22-way adjustable features, the world’s first automatic temperature sensing and comfortable massage features, allowing customers to get better rest between two places.
Sina Auto: Will Bentley Cars have a new layout for its dealer network in China in the future?
An Ruike: Currently, Bentley’s dealer network in China is quite mature, covering all first-tier cities and reaching a coverage rate of 95% in second-tier cities. Therefore, there will be no significant increase in the overall number of dealers by as much as 20% to 30% in the future. With the continuous growth of the Chinese economy, there may be significant customer demand in some third-tier cities in the future. At that time, Bentley will consider further expanding its dealer network to better serve its customers. We have always believed that dealers are crucial to providing better customer service and a superior customer experience for Bentley cars. Ensuring that dealers are profitable enough to continue to improve the quality of interaction with customers, so avoiding excessive redundant layouts is a very important prerequisite for further expanding the dealer network in the future. For example, Guangdong, as one of Bentley’s largest provincial markets in China, already has a very complete dealer layout and is not considering adding new dealers here for the time being. We recently unveiled the second dealer in Chengdu, Bentley Chengdu Jinniu, and a new city showroom, and the third dealer in Shanghai is expected to open at the end of this year. Next, we will also pay attention to the layout of Hainan Free Trade Zone, and all newly opened showrooms will adopt the brand’s new dealer image.
Sina Auto: What trends do you think Chinese customers have in personalized customization, which models are currently popular among Chinese customers in Bentley sales, and what type of models do you think will be popular in China in the future?
An Ruike: The preferences and trends of Chinese customers in customization are not easy to summarize, because “customization” itself shows the unique personality of each person. But we can observe the general trend from the perspective of Bentley’s derived models with different emphases. Bentley’s brand core is “Harmony of Polarities”, which combines seemingly contradictory elements into harmony, such as combining a healthy and pleasant travel experience with surging power and driving fun. In terms of the overall market configuration, the Yade version models that focus on health and comfort are more than the S version models that emphasize performance. In addition, in terms of color, many young customers like to show their personality through colors. For example, Chinese customers of the Continental GT will favor the color matching of white exterior paint and red interior. The Bentley Flying Spur and Bentayga are currently the two most popular models in the Chinese market. China is the largest market for the Bentley Flying Spur, and with the launch of the long-wheelbase version, the sales of the Bentayga are also constantly rising. Therefore, if we look at the overall standard and long-wheelbase models, the Bentayga SUV model is the most popular among Chinese customers. Today, we cannot reveal plans for future car models. However, we still believe that SUVs will dominate the ultra-luxury car market, and Chinese customers also love luxury sedans. So, in the future, both types of vehicles, whether plug-in hybrid, electric, or autonomous versions, will have a place.