Bentley Ponders Smaller SUV To Follow Bentayga - Should They Be Moving Downmarket To Compete With BMW?

Bentley engineering boss Rolf Frech has confirmed that a smaller SUV than the upcoming Bentayga remains “a possibility”.

The prospect is attractive to Bentley not just because of the sales potential, but also because Volkswagen’s new MSB architecture that will underpin both the new Continental GT coupé and Speed 6 sports car is easily adaptable to the format.

However, Frech emphasised that no decision has been made yet and, even if it were, it might result “in a different kind of car”. It is not clear what he was alluding to, but a crossover SUV in a similar vein to the wildly successful BMW X6 is a clear possibility.
 

TheSteve - 4/29/2015 2:13:24 PM

+4 Boost

Bentley sells vehicles that start at about a quarter million bucks. That's their "entry level", in the land of "baby millionaires." With all due respect to BMW, Bentley does not compete with them.

mre30 - 4/29/2015 5:31:19 PM

+2 Boost

Who are they trying to kid? The new "baby suv" will not be based on the Continental....it will be a tarted up Porsche Macan (which is a tarted up Audi Q5 which is a tarted up VW Tiguan).

Maybe VW is trying to emulate the "old GM"? Start them with a Chevy, then sell them a Pontiac, then the Buick/Oldsmobile, finally a Cadillac. So, start them with a VW (or a Skoda/Seat if Euro), move them up to an Audi, move them to a Porsche, and finally to a Bentley when they are rich, old, successful and vain.

MDarringer - 4/29/2015 9:00:12 PM

+1 Boost

VWAG is 100% "Old GM"

carloslassiter - 4/29/2015 8:22:46 PM

+3 Boost

That looks like an English taxi cab, and I'm not paying 200 large for that.

trmckin - 4/29/2015 10:27:33 PM

+2 Boost

That looks like a car with camo...

TheSteve - 4/30/2015 1:29:25 PM

+1 Boost

I'd put my bet on this pic having camo body panels. It's ugly, on a huge scale.

TomM - 4/30/2015 7:24:00 AM

+1 Boost

Sure = Why not. In fact - they shouldn't stop there
They should move even further down market and produce a car to compete The Audi A4 and then eventually with the VW Golf. With The Bentley name - they would sell like Hotcakes. That Way - VW could get rid of Both VW and AUDI at the same time - consolidating marketing and production under ONE basic brand - saving them a fortune. Imagine a Bentley that competes with Toyota and Hyundai - what a concept!