Customer Who Ordered a 300 Million-Won Car Visits Rural Factory in Person [Report]

Visit to UK crew Bentley Motors
Employee with over 20 years of service personally embroidered
Check Bentley history at Heritage Garage

Last month, I visited the headquarters of Bentley Motors in the small town of Crewe in the Cheshire region of central England. Although it is a place that produces high-priced vehicles worth hundreds of millions of won, the main gate welcoming visitors is modest. There is no signboard, only a solitary barrier and fence. It is truly a luxury car made in the countryside.

Passing through the main gate, on the left side of the road there is a newly built office alongside a building under construction. On the opposite side, there was a row of brick buildings, reminiscent of old factories you might see in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. It gives a distinctly different impression from typical automobile manufacturing plants. Bentley was established in 1919 and has been producing vehicles here since 1946.

Bentley Motors' main gate. There is no signboard, only a barrier stands alone. The right side is a parking lot. The photo shows the Bentley main gate taken from CW1 House. Photo by Hyunseok Yoo.

Luxury Cars Crafted Stitch by Stitch by Artisans

The Bentley factory line is broadly divided into engine production, paint shop, trim shop, wood shop, assembly line, final inspection, and delivery. The first place I visited was the assembly line for the Bentayga, a sports utility vehicle (SUV). Several workers were installing the interior inside the body, which had already been painted. Currently, Bentley produces vehicles on two lines: one for the Bentayga and another for large sedans such as the Flying Spur, Continental Grand Tourer (GT), and Continental GT Convertible (GTC). A third line is under construction for electric vehicle production, scheduled for release in 2026.

Near the main gate of Bentley Motors, at the CW1 House, there is a guestbook where customers who have purchased vehicles sign. The photo shows a Bentley employee proudly displaying the signatures of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Photo by Hyunseok Yoo.

The Bentayga assembly line was similar to other complete vehicle manufacturing lines. Several employees were assembling seats and the center fascia inside the vehicle. What sets it apart is the involvement of customers. On this day, a customer who had ordered a vehicle came to personally check it. William Roberts, the customer liaison who guided the factory tour, said, "We also provide customers with the experience of pressing the button to connect parts of their own vehicle themselves."

Next, the wood shop and leather shop demonstrated why Bentley vehicles are high-end. The wood shop is where interior materials for Bentley vehicles are processed. Various materials, including wood and stone-textured surfaces, were continuously being produced. Notably, some workers in this area have been working in the same place for over 20 or even 40 years. They focus on a single task and do not work in other areas. This is why they are called 'artisans.'

The woodshop inside the Bentley factory. It is the only area on the assembly line where photography is permitted. Various materials here are used inside Bentley vehicles. Photo by Yoo Hyun-seok.

The leather shop was similar. There were many female employees here?80% of the total 320 employees are women. This seems to be because the work requires delicate craftsmanship. The leather used in the vehicles comes from northern Europe. Since there are no pests like mosquitoes, the leather is in excellent condition and more durable. Some parts of the leather process are done by hand, with stitching being a representative example. The phrase "artisans stitching stitch by stitch," as seen in dramas, came to mind. It takes 135 minutes just to complete the stitching on one door of the Bentayga, which shows the level of care involved.

A Space Bridging Past and Present

At the place called the 'Heritage Garage,' you can experience Bentley's history. Out of a total of 42 Bentley Heritage Collection vehicles, 22 are on display, mostly models produced after 1946. Vehicles over 100 years old can often be seen here, and they still run. While watching inside the garage, I saw an employee move a vehicle by driving it personally.

The Heritage Garage where you can experience Bentley's history. It is located inside the Bentley factory. A total of 22 out of 42 Bentley Heritage Collection cars are on display. Photo by Hyunseok Yoo

Finally, I visited the Mulliner House, which is dedicated to bespoke manufacturing. Mulliner is broadly divided into 'Curated by Mulliner,' 'Bespoke,' and 'Coachbuilt.' Curated by Mulliner adds various options to existing Bentley vehicles. Bespoke goes a step further, allowing customers and staff to design various parts of the vehicle together. For example, exterior colors, interior materials, stitching colors, and materials can be combined in many ways. The number of possible combinations is an astonishing 46 billion. This allows for a vehicle made exclusively for the individual.

Ansar Ali, who oversees Bentley Mulliner and Motorsports, explained, "We receive over 100 inquiries related to Mulliner every month," adding, "The most important thing at Mulliner is the relationship with customers, ensuring they enjoy collaborating with us and are satisfied with the product."

One of Bentley's greatest advantages is the ability to create a personalized vehicle. The photo shows an employee at the Bentley Mulliner House changing the colors of various parts of the vehicle interior. Photo by Hyunseok Yoo.

I was also able to see the 'Blower,' a model from the Continuation Series that reproduces classic cars. Especially with the Blower, engineers still build it mostly by hand, except for minimal work, just like in the past. As seen in movies, they crawled under the vehicle to tighten parts by hand and installed the engine and seats themselves.

What makes Bentley special is not just the high price but the extraordinary dedication poured into each vehicle. Whether it is "making even a single car special," "a vehicle just for me," or "reviving classic cars," Bentley continues to carry forward all aspects from the past to the present without discarding anything. The reason they can maintain this approach without worrying about external opinions is that the customer is at the center. The company focuses its capabilities on developing and reproducing the parts that customers value. They have found the best way to maintain the value of a luxury car.

An employee inspecting a Bentayga vehicle. Photo by Bentley Motors