Bentley leaves Rolls Royce and Maybach behind in the US

Bentley has been kicking some serious ultraluxury butt in the United States with its Continental GT Coupe since its launch three years ago. The Bentley Continental GT Coupe has allowed Bentley to have most of the sales of ultra-luxury cars in the United States leaving behind comeptitors such as the Maybach and BMW’s Rolls-Royce.

In Robb Report, the GTC beat the Rolls Royce Phantom, Bugatti Veyron and Maybach 57S to win its annual Car of the Year Awards. The panel of judges, formed by its editors, staff and 41 car experts highlighted the Bentley’s ‘remarkable driveability, superb handling’ and ‘well executed design.’

In fact, so popular was the GTC among Robb Report’s jury that eight judges went on to order one each for themselves.
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Lexus - 2/5/2007 6:09:33 PM

+4 Boost

Yeah! that what I'm talking about, if I have the money I would definitely get on this baby too. The Bentley Continental GT coupe.

Lexus

blackswan - 2/5/2007 7:55:30 PM

+2 Boost

Rich judges!

Agent63 - 2/5/2007 8:09:47 PM

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Does that mean Bentley is now the most mainstream ultra-luxury automaker? And the Rolls and Maybach are more exclusive? =) Beautiful cars nonetheless.

woood - 2/6/2007 7:30:28 AM

+2 Boost

You're absolutely right.

MunichRob - 2/5/2007 8:41:53 PM

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Rolls Royce should do a big body coupe like the Bentley Continental.

MunichRob - 2/5/2007 9:03:21 PM

+2 Boost

Check out this pic I found of a custom Rolls Royce Phantom with it's top chopped off. It looks better than the upcoming 100EX droptop.

It's owner Scott Storch also owns 1 of 2 Bugatti's in America, as well as an SLR Mclaren. I'm not sure what he does but w.e it is he does it good!
cominghttp://www.supercars.net/Pics?vpf2=y&gID=2&fID=0&tID=107473&mID=2938438&l=d

TauronB2G - 2/6/2007 12:07:30 PM

+1 Boost

Scott Storch is a music producer. Not one of the best but hey he's making money at it.

Here in Chicago the Bentley GTC has become almost common. I see they on a fairly regualr basis. One guy in my neighborhood has a really pretty white one that he uses as his daily driver. I've also seen a couple of Flying Spurs. And ever so often I see R. Kelly in has Maybackh 62. The amazing thing is that usually when I see Bentley's and Maybachs around here its young black guys that are driving them. Where did I go wrong in life???
I was 25 years old before I got my first Mercedes.
T

S4cabriofoxone - 2/5/2007 9:48:19 PM

+1 Boost

I think Bentley should do with its flagships what it's done with the new Continental line.

They need a serious, all-out Phantom competitor. VW has the cash- Bentley just needs the will.

Otherwise, this isn't surprising. They've been crushing BMW and Merc from the start. I would go as far as to say that Bentley is now profitable, but I can't be sure.

chewy - 2/6/2007 1:11:40 AM

+1 Boost

Of course there will be a new flagship Bentley sometime in the future. It is just unknown when.

Neverfollow - 2/6/2007 9:28:34 PM

+1 Boost

You will probably see a new Azure before you will see a new Arnage.

Gennissen - 2/6/2007 2:05:18 AM

+2 Boost

The GT is competitively priced you know. Rolls Royce and Maybach have nothing in that category at present and hence one can acquire the prestige of that class of brand for 3/4 the price. Not only do you get a discount, but as we all know, the GT is both a better looking and more capable machine.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 9:09:23 AM

+1 Boost

It's more like 1/3 of the price.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 9:14:34 AM

+1 Boost

I do see a silver SL65 AMG around my parts occassionaly. I don't think it has anywhere near the presence of the GTC- the SL is looking dated next to the new XK, and nobody normal notices the 65's bodykit.

I don't think a Bentley should look "sexy". It should look royal, presential, and beautiful, in its own very large way.

The interior, according to most, is clearly a step above the A8 and Phaeton interiors.

The keychain is edmunds.com's favorite keychain of 2006, because they did such a great job CHANGING the fob to look more special. Oddly, the more sparse Audi keychain is still on the top ten.

AmazingBimmer - 2/6/2007 8:19:20 AM

0 Boost

not even in the same league

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 9:09:59 AM

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LOL, neither are Rolls-Royce sales.

If VW had acquired R-R, they'd be doing so much better by now...

BMW4me4ever - 2/6/2007 9:39:57 AM

+1 Boost

S4 .. how would R-R be doing much better now had VW acquired them? VW had the chance and decided to pay 100x as much as BMW did. R-R is a much more exclusive than Bentley. Dont get me wrong, I think the Bentley Coupe is an absolutely stunning car, but they are not really in the same class of car. Rolls Royce and that emblem the Flying Lady create more stir than anything. The exclusivity, the history, the tradition, the opulence that goes with the Rolls is unmatched by anything today. Go sit in a Bentley Flying Spur or their flagship and then go spend some time in the Phantom and the differences in workmanship, fit & finish, quality is staggering .... It is kind of like comparing a Patek Phillippe watch with a Omega or Raymond weil ...

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 5:18:56 PM

0 Boost

I was saying that Rolls-Royce would be doing better in VW's hands than BMW's. Look at what they've done with their exotics- Bentley is booming like never before, Lamborghini isn't bankrupt (for the first time in decades- their cars are also stunning), and Bugatti has the fastest car in the world.

VW would have put a spin on Rolls, making them a more upscale, distinctively-styled version of Bentley. They were going to buy both of them in a bundle, but BMW had still owned the rights to the Rolls-Royce name.

In orther words, had they been under VW's wing, they would'v sold over 500 cars a year like they do now, but still would've retained their exclusivity.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 5:18:57 PM

0 Boost

GermanNut - 2/6/2007 10:04:04 AM

+2 Boost

Are you trying to say bentley is not as exclusive as RR. That is the bigest nonsense I have ever heard.

All you BMW fools haven't heard of the Bentley Azure Mulliner....If you did you would realize that its MSRP is at $390,000. This is about $60K more than Rolls Royce Phantom.

That car has road presence th Phantom wishes it had. Well maybe now with the droptop it will, but Bentley for certain models is even more highly sought after than the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

BMW4me4ever - 2/6/2007 11:23:17 AM

+1 Boost

German Nut ... Rolls is the King .. it is the most recongizable and sought after .. When you think Rolls, you think the best of the best, handcrafted to every intricate detail, exlusivity, status, heritage, traditions & the pinnacle in the luxury segment.

If you see a Rolls Royce or Bentley Azure sitting in a crowd of people, I guarantee more people will inquire and gawk at the Rolls. The Flying Lady is the most acknowledged symbol in cars.. end of story bar none.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/6/2007 5:19:32 PM

+2 Boost

Mercedes-Benz is the world's most easily-recognized car manufaturer.

BMW4me4ever - 2/6/2007 11:24:38 AM

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German Nut ... I have been in both .. Have clients that have owned both and from their perspective and mine the Rolls is the Bomb

GermanNut - 2/6/2007 12:36:23 PM

+1 Boost

Don't cry when RR decides to go down market the way Bentley has. It is only a matter of time and you all know it simply because Bentley is blowing Rolls Royce and Maybach out of the water when it comes to sales.

Agent63 - 2/6/2007 4:03:03 PM

+1 Boost

Each company has its goals as far as sales goes. However perhaps once they have reached their goals they don't need anymore since they want to keep the exclusivity up but also keep sales down to prevent it becoming mainstream.

I doubt the people at Maybach are concerned about beating Bentley. They are designed and catered to the ultra wealthy elite. Bentley's are catered to the athletes, the movie stars, the people who win the lotto. Rolls on the other hand cater to the ultra wealthy who want a simple yet luxurious saloon without all the gadgets and buttons.