Bentley is marking the 75th anniversary of its production of cars in Crewe, England.
Since the first car came off the Crewe production line in 1946, 197,086 cars have been handcrafted in that very same factory.
The Bentley Mk VI was the first model to roll off the Crewe production line and to mark this landmark anniversary the Mk VI’s predecessor, the Mk V, the last pre-Crewe model, stands proudly on display at Bentley’s famous Pyms Lane factory.
Bentley Mark V
Commenting on the occasion, Peter Bosch, Bentley’s Member of the Board for Manufacturing, said: “For 75 years Crewe has been synonymous with luxury car manufacturing – a global showcase of craftsmanship and quality. In that time, our colleagues have produced some of the world’s most iconic and desirable products, including cars for global royalty and unique personal commissions.
He continued; “beyond bricks and mortar, this milestone pays homage to the colleagues who have built our brand in Crewe, and I’d like to express my thanks and admiration for their dedication over three-quarters of a century.”
Bentley’s manufacturer is the worlds only carbon-neutral luxury car factory and the brand has ambitious plans to target targeting sustainable luxury mobility leadership, and to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030 with its entire model range switched to battery electric vehicles by that year.
Bentley Continental GT Speed
The Bentley Mark VI became the first car to be built entirely at Bentley’s Crewe works and the first to be offered with a pressed-steel body shell as standard. The 4.3-litre straight-six engine used at launch was upgraded to a more powerful 4.6-litre unit in 1951. Coachbuilt cars were still available, but the Mark VI signalled the dawn of a new era in Bentley car production and became one of the marque’s biggest selling cars in history.
Pyms Lane has remained the focal point for Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe since the company arrived in 1938. What stands today are industry-leading facilities that are fully carbon neutral, the first luxury car brand to achieve such a feat.
The ambitious plans Bentley has for car production were outlined as part of its ground-breaking Beyond100 strategy. The company aims to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030, with the Crewe factory climate positive thereafter.
