Bentley maintains British production in Crewe despite German ownership

Bentley continues to maintain its British identity by concentrating its primary vehicle production at its factory in Crewe, England, despite being owned by the German Volkswagen Group. While the brand shares architecture and components with other Volkswagen Group entities, such as the Porsche Panamera, its manufacturing roots remain in the United Kingdom.

Historical exceptions to this British-only production occurred in 2005 and 2013, when small series of the Flying Spur were produced at the Volkswagen plant in Dresden, Germany.

The company's history is marked by significant shifts in ownership. Following the Great Depression, Bentley fell under the control of Rolls-Royce, with the two brands sharing chassis and engines for several decades. In 1998, a bidding war between BMW and Volkswagen concluded with Volkswagen acquiring Bentley for approximately 509.6 million euros, successfully outbidding BMW's offer. This acquisition resulted in a split where Volkswagen took control of Bentley, while BMW secured the rights to the Rolls-Royce name for automotive use.