British car maker Bentley is set to get into the SUV market and make the most expensive and luxurious one ever priced at about $237,000.
The Volkswagen-owned company has received permission to start working on the new SUV that should be ready by 2016. And while there are very little details released about the car, Bentley is hoping to conquer the highest end of the incredibly lucrative luxury SUV market.
According to usatoday.com:
“Few details were available about the new model. Bentley shouldn’t have much trouble making it the world’s most powerful. It already has the 6-liter twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder engine from the Continental GTC W12 on hand. That one went into the concept, and Bentley boasted it could produce 600 horsepower. Or Bentley could use the more modest — if it’s possible to call it that — 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 from Mulsanne. That one alone puts out 505 horsepower.”
And if you’re wondering if it is the right move for Bentley to break tradition and get into the SUV market, all you have to do is look at what the Porsche Cayenne has done for that company. In fact, it has become Porsche’s No. 1 selling model, so Bentley should be stepping on solid ground.
As reported by forbes.com:
“Skeptical? Look at Porsche. When the Cayenne debuted in 2003 purists panned it as an aberration that besmirched the image of an esteemed racing brand. Ten years later the Cayenne is not only Porsche’s bestselling vehicle, but is also considered the harbinger of a new wave of ultra-luxury SUVs that includes entries from Lamborghini, Maserati and, now, Bentley.”
Bentley spokesman Graeme Russell was also optimistic stating:
““We believe that this car can create a niche for itself within the SUV market in a similar manner to the way the original Continental GT created a market for itself when it launched… Given the impact that had on Bentley sales, taking the company to over 10,000 units in 2007, I think it is fair to say that there is a level of experience both within Bentley and within the VW Group that could well see the SUV model contribute its fair share of the global sales aspirations of 15,000 vehicles per annum.’”
That’s quite a lofty goal at $237,000 each. But of course, it’s all about the money and we can only imagine the profits such a vehicle will generate. Hopefully, they will vastly overhaul the concept they previously had for the look of the car and truly create something compelling enough to warrant the price-tag.
But regardless of what they produce, we can already see the long list of black entertainers and athletes who will be clamoring for this vehicle.
We’ll keep an eye as the process develops and keep you informed. In the meantime, tell us what you think.
