Bentley’s debut EV drives £1bn motoring investment surge in a week
Britain’s automotive industry is set to get an extra £350m of investment as Bentley drives new funding into its headquarters in Crewe to build its first fully electronic vehicle, marking the third major boost in a week for the sector.
The announcement takes the total figure of fresh investment into the UK’s automotive industry in the past week to £1.02bn, following both McLaren and Nissan both bringing in an extra £500m and £170m.
“Bentley’s announcement is the third win in just seven days for our world-class automotive industry, which truly shows the confidence that businesses have in Britain,” business secretary, Jonathon Reynolds said.
Bentley‘s new fully electric car – the Torcal – will be designed, engineered and built in Britain, using a network of British suppliers including a Somerset-based wool company for the interior, and will support around 4,000 existing jobs in Crewe, making it one of the biggest employers in the area.
“The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost, but it is also a powerful statement about our confidence in Britain as a centre of design, engineering and manufacturing excellence,” Dr Frank-Steffan Walliser, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors said.
Walliser said the launch of the new all-electronic vehicle “demonstrates how investment, innovation and craftsmanship can come together to create a world-leading luxury product.
As part of its investment, Bentley has upgraded its Crewe site, which has been Bentley’s home for 80 years. The car giant has invested in new manufacturing, design and logistics capabilities at its Crewe site alongside workforce training and skills development.
JLR to cut thousands of jobs
This comes as fellow vehicle manufacturing giant, Jaguar Land Rover, confirmed plans at the start of the month of sweeping job cuts as it looks to slash around £1.7bn from its cost base over the next two years.
The Midlands-based carmaker said it made the decision as it needed to “simplify” its structure as it presses ahead with the next phase of its strategy, telling staff “salaried and management team members” will be offered voluntary redundancy as part of the plans.