Bentley Motors recently celebrated a key phase in the construction of its new Design Centre in Crewe with a ‘topping out ceremony’ that marked the completion of the building’s structural phase. The event was marked by Bentley’s new chairman and CEO, Frank-Steffen Walliser, along with Andreas Lehe and Matthias Rabe, board members for manufacturing and R&D respectively.
The Design Centre, which will be completed next year, converts one of Bentley’s most historic buildings on-site, the famous ‘Front of House’ that dates back to 1939, with a fresh design and architecture conceptualised by Bentley’s own design team. When completed, the new space will be around double the size of the previous Design Centre and home to around 50 designers.
Dr Rabe said: “We are currently in the middle of a design revolution, one that will help define a new chapter for Bentley design as part of our ‘Beyond100’ transformational journey. Therefore, building an innovative, creative environment for our designers to drive the development of future BEV models and more extraordinary products is key to our aim of becoming the world’s leading sustainable luxury mobility company.”
Bentley’s ‘Beyond100’ strategy will see the company ‘reinvent its entire product range to support a fully electrified future, with this latest development a crucial part of Bentley’s £2.5 billion investment programme in future products and the Pyms Lane factory in Crewe.
Mr Lehe added: “Modernising our site not only gives a clear commitment to a long-term future in Crewe but also shows our ambition that to continue to invest in ‘state of the art’ buildings will help establish a benchmark position in truly digital, innovative, highly flexible, luxury car development and manufacture.”
Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.