Beyond technology? How Bentley is reacting to the 21st century.

"If the Tesla Model S prodded the legacy car companies to get on top of battery production and introduce iPad-like screens in cars, Chinese car companies are bringing the heat for what's left of the 2020s in all segments. Much of the media coverage has rightly been on how this trend will affect mass-market vehicles. But what does it mean at the high end of the market?"

""Chinese consumers at all price points are increasingly turning away from foreign brands to domestic alternatives that they view as just as good," said Vice President of Market Research at Telemetry Sam Abuelsamid. "The only exceptions are those that are focused on exclusivity, which they may only be able to get from the Europeans. The thing that sets Bentley or Rolls-Royce apart the most is the hand-built and often bespoke nature of the vehicles.""

Chinese automakers are advancing rapidly in technology and manufacturing, selling EVs domestically and in Europe. Consumers in China increasingly prefer domestic brands across price points, leaving only exclusivity as a remaining advantage for foreign marques. Bentley emphasizes that true luxury requires heritage, craftsmanship, and storytelling built over time, attributes tied to Germany, Italy, and the UK. Hand-built, bespoke construction remains the chief differentiator for brands such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Shifts in Chinese consumer tastes and global competition pressure legacy luxury marques to defend exclusivity and craftsmanship while adapting to electrification and faster, tech-driven development cycles.

Read at Ars Technica