| Demand for the acclaimed Bentley Continental
GT is so great that VW has given the green light to hire between 100 and
300 extra staff to help boost production at the Crewe plant.
Bentley is ramping up productionof the Continental GT |
|
 |
It is thought that demand is so high that one Bentley insider
said American customers placing an order for a Continental GT at this
year’s Detroit show will not have the car delivered until May 2005.
VW chiefs are keen to add a second shift to the Continental GT line to
help boost annual production to around 3,500 units, with the Arnage peaking
at 700 units. The Bentley Crew factory currently has a 2,700 strong workforce.
A large chunk of the extra staff recruited will also work on a four-door
sister model to the GT which is due next year. It’s thought that
the high demand for the saloon – which is still being closely guarded
by Bentley – was the main factor to persuading VW chiefs to switch
to a 24-hour working shift pattern.
Bentley’s success is a small ray of sunshine for VW’s disastrous
luxury car division that has seen the expensive Bugatti go from crisis
to crisis, while VW’s own luxury badged Phaeton saloon – despite
being a technical marvel – has been written off due to poor sales.
VW hopes the move to boost production at Crew will help Bentley make a
profit next year.
|
