Bentley SUV Finally Given Green Light by VW Board

The German newspaper Handelsblatt is reporting that the VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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Group board has finally given the BentleyBentleyUnited Kingdom, 1919 > present37 models
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SUV a green light to go into production. It will take at least three years for the truck to go on sale. 

The Volkswagen Board was convinced because Bentley showed that the truck would be profitable and bring a double-digit return on investment. 

According to the report, the truck has the codename Falcon and will cost about €200,000 ($269,000) with a 592hp engine. The plan is for the truck to be 5m long (16.4ft). The goal is to sell 5,000 cars a year worldwide, and it expects that it will be very popular in Russia and China. 

Bentley wants to give the truck a mix of luxury and off-road ability. All-wheel drive is almost a certainty. 

“It’s like a Porsche 911 and the racetrack. How many customers are really going on the racetrack? The key is that they know that if they want to, they can," said Bentley engineering chief Rolf Frech.

Surprisingly, Volkswagen may build the truck in Bratislava, Slovakia, and ship the trucks to Bentley's factory in Crewe, England, for final assembly and outfitting. 

Previous reports had indicated that the production car will be radically different from the EXP 9F SUV concept that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show last year. It will look more like a traditional Bentley.

Source: Handelsblatt and Autocar