The Bentley Mulsanne is going out of production this spring, but the model could effectively be replaced by an all-new crossover.
Speaking to Car Magazine, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark suggested there was room for a model positioned above the Bentayga. As he explained, “If you look at China, every single car we sell has the longer wheelbase.” Hallmark then said, if the company built a long-wheelbase Bentayga then every Mulsanne customer in China would opt for the crossover instead.
This naturally raises the question about a crossover positioned above the Bentayga and Hallmark hinted one is in the works. As he said, “We’d love to make an even more luxurious, even bigger Bentayga. Watch this space.”
Also Read: Bentley Says The Mulsanne Was Killed Over Slowing Sales
Hallmark went on to say he could imagine Bentley’s lineup featuring three crossovers besides the Bentayga. In particular, he mentioned crossovers that were larger and smaller than the brand’s best-selling model. The executive also hinted at a crossover coupe which he said would be relatively affordable and on the smaller side.
A ‘cheap’ crossover coupe could generate more volume for the brand, but Hallmark said Bentley doesn’t want to be a big company. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of more affordable models.
It remains unclear if any of the crossovers are actually in the pipeline, but it seems possible as Hallmark said “We are not fulfilling the potential of the brand where we are.” That seems to suggest Bentley wants a bigger slice of the ultra-luxury market and crossovers are certainly the way to go.
In related news, Hallmark reiterated their plan to offer hybrid versions of all models by 2023. Longer term, the first electric Bentley will arrive by 2026 and should have a range of at least 300 miles (483 km).
