Bentley CEO says digital will never be luxury

The fickle world of luxury automobiles is trying to find sure footing in a modern world. Before, the formula was easy: exclusivity + performance = luxury. Today, digitization has changed the game, allowing more highly customized appointments, paint colors, tuning and graphic interfaces.

With all those, a schism is growing in the super luxury car community. Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO at Bentley Motors, told Newsweek, "There will always be a need for good craftsmanship, and that's part of a luxury product. If it's just digital, [it] will never be luxury. It will be maybe expensive, but not luxury."

"Luxury is linked to material and craftsmanship, like art. Digital art is not so successful. I will not say that it does not exist, but is it the breakthrough? No, it's not," he continued.

While most mass-market automakers have used technology to up the ante with their customers and give them new-age innovation, super-luxury automakers are taking a more measured approach, leaning into century-old business strategies like coachbuilding, to keep their clients happy and coming back for more.

Lamborghini Ad Personam, McLaren Special Operations, Q by Aston Martin and Atelier Ferrari are all personalization and craftsmanship programs designed in the same vein as Bentley Mulliner. The in-house bespoke customization divisions work directly with customers to deliver exactly what they are seeking.

Mulliner customers can sit with a designer, more than once if necessary, and create their personalized model. "I think our biggest asset is definitely the co-creation, that designers come in and come to retailers, sit down with the client and define the car. That makes a huge difference. And, sitting in front of a configurator, you need that. Knowing you have so many opportunities... If you're not guided, it's really difficult, and this personal experience makes the biggest difference," Walliser said.

Mulliner customers are also able to come to the Bentley factory in Crewe, England. There, they can see the team creating their car and watch it progress through the months-long creation process. Today, three in four Bentleys leave Crewe with Mulliner content, more than ever.

The division recently expanded its offerings. The Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide now features new open-pore wood and tinted carbon fibre veneers.

Mulliner workers aren't just hand-building for today. They are also helping to build the foundation for tomorrow's Bentley client base. "Usually what happens is, once a client has gone through that process and has received their final product, they'll do it again and again and again," the CEO said.

Related Articles