Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber has revealed that the Mulsanne convertible concept the auomaker privately showed to a select few at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will not be produced after all.
Even though initial reports suggested Bentley would build the convertible, Schreiber said the company plans were undermined by a lack of demand for such a model.
“We will not do that car,” Schreiber told Car and Driver. “The demand for a Mulsanne convertible is just regional. So if it would come, it would be very successful in the U.S. and maybe some regions in Europe, but I think that will not be enough demand for a good business case,” the executive added.
While Bentley sold 1,169 Mulsanne sedans last year, a convertible version likely wouldn’t reach annual sales of more than 200 units, thus making it not economically viable. Furthermore, Bentley needs to invest a lot of money in its upcoming SUV, which is a far bigger priority for the brand than a flagship convertible model.
The Bentley SUV would offer a much bigger return for the investment, as it is expected to post far larger sales than would the convertible Mulsanne. To put it bluntly, it is simply not the time for a droptop Mulsanne, which means those who want a convertible Bentley will have to settle for the Continental GTC.
By Dan Mihalascu
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