Reference Auto

Iconic British luxury car maker Bentley has not been going through the best of times for the last couple of years but is still betting on India, rolling out the Continental GT model, which will be priced at Rs 1.9 crore (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Continental GT is powered by a 5,998 cc twin-turbocharged W12 engine producing 552 bhp at 6,100 rpm and torque of 650 nm at 1,600-6,100 rpm. Torsen-based permanent four-wheel drive is a standard feature of the car.

The Continental GT can touch 60 miles an hour in 4.6 seconds only and reaches a top speed of 197 mph (318 kmph).

The Continental GT has been a very popular car and has seen sales touch 22,000 since its launch seven years ago. Among the other model that Bentley sells in the country is the Arnage, which is priced above Rs 2.5 crore.

“India is growing at a fast pace in the luxury automobile segment. We are upbeat on achieving a sales figure of 100 cars from our entire range by next year,” said Chris Buxton, regional director for Bentley’s Middle-East, Africa and India operations.

Even its rival Rolls-Royce is expected to sell around 100 cars in the high-end luxury segment. Buxton added that volumes are seeing an uptick in Europe and the US, while China was turning out to be one of the crucial markets.

About India, Bentley feels that it is a small market but can grow substantially, allowing Bentley to cross the three-figure-mark within the span of one year.

Buxton revealed that Bentley’s worldwide sales stood at 10,014 units in 2007, but had gone on a downward journey since then in the wake of the economic slowdown in 2008 with the downturn taking a toll on even 2009 and 2010 sales.

The figure for 2008 was 7,400 cars and this slid further to 5,500 in 2009 and the figure ebbed to the 5,000-units-mark last year.

“We are now seeing demand picking up for luxury cars in key markets of Europe and the US. And with China emerging very quickly, we hope to end 2011 with over 7,000 units globally,” an upbeat Buxton said. China is expected to witness sales of 1,500 units this year compared to 1,000 cars sold in 2010.

The company has been increasing its focus on emerging economies such as China and India to woo the growing billionaires in these two countries.

“With hand-crafted interiors, the car will set new standards in luxury in the country,” said Satya Bagla, managing director of Exclusive Motors, Bentley’s dealer in India.

In India, Bentley is synonymous to Rolls-Royce, which is a very popular brand, and some aggressive marketing and promotion could make the British car maker (Bentley) among the major contenders in the luxury car market, which is slated to see almost 100 per cent growth in the next few years.

Despite being a well-known brand in India, Bentley hasn’t really been keeping pace with the luxury car market growth, which currently stands at around 80 per cent. The car major has been growing at a tardy pace of 45 per cent (comparatively).

With luxury auto makers launching various models almost every other day, companies like Bentley and Rolls-Royce could witness a plateau in its growth (owing to an oversupply situation), at least for some time, in the next few years, despite launching a slew of popular models like the Continental GT.