Bentley plans regional office by August

Bentley Motors, which lists the Queen of England as a client, plans to open its Middle East office by August this year, confirmed a senior official.

These are interesting times for the venerable UK brand as its ownership will pass on to Germany's Volkswagen by the start of 2003. Bentley's sister make - the Rolls Royce - will by that time pass on to the BMW Group.

In the region, Bentley forecasts sales of 70 odd units this year compared to about 100 in 2001. The projected shortfall is attributed to the sell out of its previous model by December last, much earlier than was initially forecast. The replacement, the 6.75 litre Arnage T is priced at a steep Dh875,000 plus, has just become available in these markets.

To prepare for the new model arrivals, Bentley's dealerships in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Lebanon will invest in new showrooms. The others will go in for extensive renovations to ensure a common "feel" to all the showrooms, said Ian Gorsuch, regional manager for the Middle East and Africa at Rolls Royce & Bentley Motor Cars. Will there be a special pricing policy that Bentley will follow once the split with Rolls Royce is formalised?

"For the last six or seven years, Bentley has been more expensive than the Rolls Royce, and also accounts for 80 per cent of the production at the Crewe factory in the UK. In the next few years, Bentley will be expanding its line up, including the introduction of two-door versions," said Gorsuch.

The model will continue to be sold on build-to-order basis. Regional dealerships can expect a three to six month lead time from placing orders to actual delivery. There are plans to extend the model's presence into the North African markets.

"Each dealers have to submit their requirements and we will try to make each model tailormade to the specifications of the client. Our production can vary from meeting the requirements of the Queen of England to armoured limousines for heads of state," said Gorsuch.

The Crewe factory has a current capacity for 2,000 units annually. This will be increased with the new models coming in. The Arnage T will be followed by the Arnage Red Label and Arnage Long Wheelbase later this year.

Al Habtoor Motors represents the make in the UAE, which is the biggest market for the Bentley in the region. In 2001, sales had topped the 30 unit mark.

"This market was successful in selling the Arnage Red Label and now the new Arnage T should see good sales. Nowadays, the owner takes a more intelligent view in buying a car and does not go by just the brand name. Buyers are looking for heritage value."