Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Bentley still expects to continue making cars in the UK while also avoiding further job cuts. However, when it comes to future products, having them built in Britain will not be an easy task.
Going forward, the luxury carmaker will make this type of decision alongside its parent company, the VW Group, which owns facilities all over Europe, stated Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark during an interview with Bloomberg TV.
“Every time we launch a product – even though we’re a 100 year old company based in Crewe for over 80 years – we have to fight to keep the products in Crewe,” said the CEO. “And our competitiveness, our flexibility in terms of cost structure and our relationship with our colleagues and workforce, those are key factors.”
Read Also: Bentley To Become An EV Only Brand, Petrol Engines To Be Phased Out By 2030
Hallmark reiterated that his company isn’t looking to further reduce its workforce if the UK and EU fail to reach a trade agreement before the Brexit transition period comes to an end on December 31st. Bentley already announced plans to cut about 1,000 jobs in the UK back in June.
The luxury brand has also stocked up on components in order to have a buffer should there be a supply disruption at the ports. They will also have to raise prices in the EU if taxes go up on parts and additional duties are put on its models.
“It doesn’t risk the existence of the company, it doesn’t risk our establishment in the UK, but it does definitely dent our profitability,” he concluded.
In the short to mid-term, Bentley is looking to offer plug-in hybrid and fully electric models exclusively by the year 2026, moving on to an EV-only range by the end of the decade.
