Bentley Sales Plummet; Competition See Surge in Luxury

Bentley Faces Sales Decline Amidst a Booming Luxury Market

While Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Maybach celebrated sales growth in 2023, Bentley experienced a double-digit decline in deliveries. The renowned British luxury brand reported an 11 percent year-over-year decrease, moving 13,560 vehicles compared to 15,174 in 2022.

The Americas remained Bentley’s largest market, with 3,848 deliveries, down by nine percent from the previous year. The sales breakdown by region reveals declines across the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao (-18%), Europe (-15%), and the United Kingdom (-18%). Despite challenges, Asia Pacific saw a five percent increase, and the Middle East, India, and Africa reported a modest 2 percent growth.

However, 2023 still ranked as Bentley’s third-highest sales year in its history. Notably, personalization became a key focus, witnessing a substantial 43 percent uptick from 2022. The Bentayga retained its position as the best-selling model, constituting 44 percent of total sales. Bentley introduced the long-wheelbase EWB Mulliner as a flagship offering to expand its SUV lineup.

Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO of Bentley, acknowledged the luxury market’s challenges in the second half of 2023. Despite this, he emphasized the achievement of the third-highest retail position and a robust order bank entering 2024.

In contrast to Bentley’s performance, competitors like Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Maybach thrived. While Rolls-Royce achieved its best sales year with 6,032 vehicles, Mercedes-Maybach experienced a 19 percent sales increase in 2023, positioning itself as a formidable rival.

The broader luxury car market, as evidenced by Lamborghini and Porsche, showcased strength in 2023. Lamborghini surpassed 10,000 deliveries for the first time, with the Urus leading sales. Porsche, while not setting a new record, reached 320,221 units, marking a three percent increase over 2022.

Despite the challenging landscape, Bentley’s counterparts flourished, raising questions about the brand’s competitive positioning. Further insights from Bentley are awaited to provide clarity on these sales results. We will update this article with any additional information from the company.

Source: Bentley

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