Bentley is preparing for the launch of its first ever SUV with the biggest site development in the company’s history. The automaker will expand its headquarters in Crewe with a £40 million ($62.7 million) investment, adding a new research and development center that will create over 300 jobs.
Measuring over 45,000 square-meters, the new center will include a dedicated styling studio, research and development offices and a technical workshop. The facilities will house 1,300 Bentley engineers.
The investment is “the latest step in preparing Bentley’s infrastructure to bring the world’s first ultra-luxury SUV to roads in 2016,” the company says, with work on the new developments to begin early next year.
The R&D center will create 300 jobs in engineering, manufacturing, quality, sales and marketing as well as project management. Including these latest roles, Bentley has now announced the creation of over 950 jobs in the past 18 months.
“With Bentley’s new research and development centre, we will develop a new generation of Bentleys, which will continue our commitment of luxury, performance, quality and engineering excellence,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors.
Last year, Bentley delivered 10,120 cars, more than ever before, and expects to break that figure in 2014. The company also committed to an £800 million investment over three years in product and facility development, with this latest announcement driving the investment to £840 million ($1.31 billion).
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