First edition of the Bentley Continental GT 2020
Mack Hogan | CNBC
Bentley Motors sold a record number of sedans and luxury SUVs last year as the rest of the auto industry struggled to stem losses from the coronavirus pandemic, the 101-year-old vehicle maker said on Tuesday.
The Volkswagen-owned company sold 11,206 vehicles in 2020, despite a seven-week closure of its factory in England during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic last spring. The company sold 11,006 cars in 2019.
Bentley sells some of the most expensive and rare cars in the world. Its entry-level SUV, the Bentayga, starts at around $ 180,000, while its most exclusive model, the Mulliner Bacalar, sells for about $ 2 million.
Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said he is “cautiously optimistic” about business in 2021, “although it remains uncertain,” according to a press release. He said last year’s sales record is a “strong measure” of the company’s potential as it pivots to become a fully electric vehicle company by 2030.
Sales in the Americas increased 4.2% and remained Bentley’s main market in 2020, but its growth came from a huge 48.5% jump in sales in China. Both markets accounted for 53% of Bentley’s sales in 2020, according to the company. This offset falling sales in the UK, Europe and the Middle East in 2020.