H Bentley ανακοίνωσε και επίσημα σήμερα πως το SUV της πήρε το πράσινο φως από το διοικητικό συμβούλιο του VW Group ώστε να περάσει στη παραγωγή. Η έκδοση παραγωγής του EXP 9 F Concept, θα κυκλοφορήσει το 2016, για τη κατασκευή του θα δημιουργηθούν 1.000 νέες θέσεις εργασίας στο εργοστάσιο της Bentley στο Crewe της Αγγλίας, με την εταιρία να επενδύει περισσότερα από £800 εκατ. (€932 εκατ.)
Το βρετανικό SUV θα είναι ένα καθαρόαιμο Bentley, κάνοντάς το, το πιο πολυτελές και το πιο ισχυρό SUV στην αγορά. Φημολογείται πως θα ονομάζεται Falcon και θα διαθέτει διαφορετικό σχεδιασμό από αυτόν του πρωτότυπου, το οποίο δεν αγαπήθηκε από το κοινό.
Θα κατασκευαστεί πάνω στη κοινή πλατφόρμα MLB Evo του VW Group, πάνω στην οποία θα κατασκευαστούν επίσης τα μελλοντικά Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg και Porsche Cayenne. Η Bentley έχει βάλει ως στόχο να πουλά 3.000 SUV ετησίως με τιμή από 160.000 έως 200.000 ευρώ. Θα υπάρχει έκδοση με τρεις σειρές καθισμάτων και μηχανικά θα φορά τον W12 6.0-λίτρων της εταιρίας απόδοσης 600 ίππων με 800 Nm ροπής, τον νέο V8 4.0-λίτρων TFSI καθώς και έναν νέο V6 plug-in υβριδικό που ετοιμάζεται. Ο τελευταίος θα του δίνει ηλεκτρική αυτονομία 30 χλμ με τα 0-100 χλμ/ώρα να τα κάνει σε λιγότερο από 5 δευτερόλεπτα.
[Πηγή: Bentley]
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GREEN LIGHT FOR BENTLEY SUV
- Fourth model line to be built in Crewe
- Sales will begin in 2016
- Over 1,000 UK jobs created
- New model will be true to Bentley’s brand hallmarks
- Extremely positive customer response to an SUV by Bentley
(Crewe, 23 July 2013). Bentley Motors today confirms that it will proceed with the development of the Bentley SUV, the company’s fourth model line. The SUV will be made in Crewe and will go on sale in 2016. It will create over 1000 jobs in the UK. Over the next three years Bentley will invest more than £800 million in its headquarters at Crewe and the development of new models.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who was present together with Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Volkswagen Group for the announcement at Bentley headquarters in Crewe, said: “This £800 million investment and a thousand new jobs from Bentley is fantastic news for both Crewe and for the UK as a whole. It is another important milestone in strengthening our economy.
“One sector that we know is sprinting ahead in the global race is our booming automotive industry. One vehicle rolls off a production line somewhere in the UK every 20 seconds and we have just launched the Government’s Automotive Industrial Strategy to help continue this success for years to come.
“I am delighted that Bentley will be building their new vehicle here, not only creating a thousand jobs, but safeguarding many more, as well as increasing training opportunities for highly skilled apprentices.”
Dr Winterkorn said: “The Volkswagen Group believes in the UK as a competitive location for industrial production. Bentley fans all around the world are looking forward to the brand’s first SUV. Together we will make this new Bentley another true Bentley – powerful, exclusive and successful.”
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “This is a welcome commitment to the UK from a major international car maker. Our automotive industrial strategy proves this government’s commitment to working with world-class companies like Bentley to create jobs and promote exports.
“Bentley was the first firm I visited as a government minister and serves as a real example of high value manufacturing. They export more than four out of every five cars they make in the UK to the rest of the world.”
Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, added: “This is excellent news for Bentley and for the UK. Bentley is increasingly successful and this new fourth model line will leverage the success of the global SUV market. The support of everyone involved with the Company has been fundamental to this decision, which will ensure sustainable growth for the company.”
The SUV will be a thoroughbred Bentley true to the brand hallmarks of luxury, performance, quality and craftsmanship. The styling will set it apart from any other SUV on the road and will be true to the Bentley design DNA. It will be the most luxurious and most powerful SUV in the market. The response from customers to a Bentley SUV has been extremely positive in the last 16 months.
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