Bentley's SUV will be built, exec says
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MONTEREY, California -- It's "a foregone conclusion" that Bentley will build an SUV based on the EXP 9F Concept, said Rodney Moore, regional general manager for Bentley Motors in the United States.
The concept had its first North American showing at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance here. Bentley first introduced the unibody SUV at the Geneva auto show in March.
Customers at the Pebble Beach event, at which Bentley traditionally takes orders from customers for the coming model year, expressed interest in the vehicle, Moore said.
The executive's comments follow a report in a UK newspaper last month that said Bentley has told workers at its plant in Crewe, England, that it would add production of the SUV there, guaranteeing jobs at the factory for 14 years.
Bentley did not comment on the report in The Sentinel newspaper.
Earlier this year, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer told Automotive News Europe that, if it were approved, the SUV's annual sales could hit 3,500 to 5,000. That would be significant for a brand that sold 7,003 cars in 2011.
Automotive News Europe contributed to this report
You can reach Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com.
