Even as the mainstream auto companies all around the world struggled to cope up with the global shortage of semiconductors and issues with their global supply chains, the luxury car maker Bentley Motors reported selling a record number of its luxury sedans and SUVs last year, the carmaker which is now 102 years old said on Thursday.  

For the entire of 2021, the company, which is owned by Volkswagen, sold a total of 14,659 vehicles which marked a 31 per cent growth compared to the sale of 11,206 cars and SUVs in 2020 which was also a record number for the company.

According to Bentley, the record surge in sales in 2021 was because of it launching a number of new models –including hybrids, as well as the business plan of the company which it christened “Beyond 100”, that includes transitioning the famed carmaker to be fully electric by 2030.

“2021 was yet another year of unpredictability though I am delighted to be able to confirm that we overcame significant headwinds, and deliver a breakthrough in our sales performance,” Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said in a release.

“This is our second record sales year in the successive years and is a positive sign of our brand strength, operational excellence, strong global demand, and affirmation of our strategic priorities.”

Bentley also reported a 39 per cent surge in its sales in the Americas which continued to be marked as the company’s biggest market globally. The sale of its luxury vehicles in China surged by 40 per cent last year. There was also growth in sales for the company in its other markets which included Europe, Asia Pacific (excluding China), and the Middle East in 2021.

Bentley is known for offering some of the most expensive and rare cars in the world.

For example, the entry-level SUV, the Bentayga, has a starting price tag of more than $180,000. On the other hand, the exclusive “coachbuilt” models of the company such as the Mulliner Bacalar are priced at $2 million.

While much of the global automobile industry was dealing with supply chain challenges, Bentley set a new sales record. The most notable example is the continuing scarcity of semiconductor chips.

(Adapted from CNBC.com)