Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has appointed Abbey Thomas as the country head of the Bentley in India, marking the transition of Bentley India from an imported brand to a local office.
The move comes in the context of strong momentum in India's super luxury car market. Much like Lamborghini, which has outpaced the market thanks to its local representative, the Volkswagen Group will hope that Bentley India’s transition to a local office model will bring more focus to its India operation, allowing it to capitalise on the growing demand from ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
A local representative will also help Bentley better understand the market needs of super-rich buyers. As per reports, the move is aimed at restructuring operations, improving service and parts availability, and expanding Bentley’s footprint with a new dealer in southern India.
Thomas was earlier the head of marketing at the Volkswagen Passenger Car brand within the group. He will report to Jan Bures, Executive Director of Sales, Marketing, and Digital at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Ltd.
An email sent to Skoda Auto Volkswagen India did not elicit any response. Thomas will take charge from January, say people in the know. Bentley Motors' official importer in India is Exclusive Motors, with facilities in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Bentley is understood to have sold over 70-80 cars in the last calendar year, most of which are Bentayga SUVs.
Bentley sells a range of ultra-luxury cars in India, including Bentayga, Flying Spur, Continental GT, and some special edition vehicles. Imported as completely built units, the Bentley model range starts at Rs 3.91 crore and goes above Rs 10 crore, depending on the customisation options.
Bentley had recently created five bespoke Mulliner models for the Indian market, for the first time since the British brand started selling in the country.
According to Knight Frank, India has the fastest-growing market of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNI). UHNIs grew 6% in 2023 to 13,263 in the last calendar year. This number is likely to breach 20,000 by 2028. Ultra-high Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) have a net worth of USD 30 million and above.