Tag Archives: Investment

News

Bentley Opens Futuristic Düsseldorf Service Hub with €4.8M Investment

If you thought Bentley ownership was only about handcrafted cabins and W12-fueled grand touring, think again. The British luxury brand has just cut the ribbon on a €4.8 million state-of-the-art service centre in Düsseldorf, Germany—a facility that aims to redefine what aftersales care looks like in the era of electrification and sustainability.

At 1,200 square meters, the new workshop is more than just a repair bay with a glossy badge. It’s a benchmark-setting operation designed with both tomorrow’s cars and tomorrow’s energy in mind. Nine service lifts (expandable to eleven) dominate the high-tech floor, which is coated in conductive epoxy to safely handle battery-electric and plug-in hybrid Bentleys. Advanced diagnostic systems, future-ready tooling, and integrated smart building systems round out the picture—this isn’t your average service stop, it’s a tech-forward command centre for luxury mobility.

But Bentley knows that while its cars are engineered for performance, its customers expect equal engineering in hospitality. The Düsseldorf service centre doubles as a luxury lounge, with refined waiting areas and private offices designed to mirror the brand’s hallmark attention to detail. Think less fluorescent-lit dealership lobby, more five-star hotel lobby where the cappuccino is probably hand-frothed.

Underpinning all this is Bentley’s Beyond100+ strategy, the company’s ambitious roadmap toward sustainability. A 60 kWp rooftop solar array powers daily operations, complemented by 100 percent renewable electricity and a connection to Düsseldorf’s district heating network. In other words, the new hub doesn’t just care for the cars of the future—it’s already living in that future.

“This new service centre represents a major investment in the city and in our customers here,” said Guido von Spee, Managing Director of Bentley Düsseldorf. “It has been designed to the highest technical and environmental standards, ensuring we provide an outstanding service experience today while being ready for the future.”

Richard Leopold, Bentley’s Regional Director for Europe, framed the investment as part of a larger push across the continent: “By combining sustainability, technical innovation, and luxury-first design, this facility sets new benchmarks for aftersales service across Europe.”

Bentley Düsseldorf has been a cornerstone of the brand’s presence in Germany for over two decades. With this new facility, it cements its role as not just a retailer, but a hub of Bentley’s evolving identity—one that blends luxury, technology, and environmental responsibility into a seamless ownership journey.

For Bentley customers rolling into Düsseldorf, service appointments are no longer just a necessity. They’re part of the brand experience. And as Bentley prepares for a fully electrified future, this state-of-the-art centre looks like the blueprint for what the rest of Europe—and the rest of the luxury car industry—will have to catch up to.

Source: Bentley

News

The future of Maserati is uncertain

Lately, Maserati has been fighting a tough battle to survive, and now comes another bad news that could further complicate the future of the Italian brand. According to the latest information, Stellantis gave up an investment of 1.5 billion dollars, which would have been a large injection and a possible way out of the current crisis.

In an interview with Autocar, Stellantis’ chief financial officer Doug Ostermann said that the company must review its plans, which includes abandoning investments. “We have to recognize the dynamics in this business, especially in the Chinese market, and our expectations in terms of how quickly the luxury market will switch to electrification,” Doug Ostermann said.

This decision will particularly hit Maserati, whose sales are not at the expected level, and sales results for 2024 show that the brand is recording large losses. In 2024, Maserati sold only 11,300 cars (- 57.5%) and made a financial loss of 260 million euros. This situation could put a large number of jobs at risk, so the FIM union has scheduled a meeting with Maserati management for March 11.

“Maserati is in one of the most critical situations. Despite its quality and high-performance models, the brand is suffering from marketing mistakes and negligence. We can no longer waste time,” said FIM Secretary General Ferdinando Uliano.

It remains to be seen whether Maserati will survive the current crisis or become another Italian brand that has become a thing of the past.

Source: Autocar

News

Russia invests over $900 million in the automotive industry

In February 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, which caused a reaction from the international community and the introduction of sanctions that forced many manufacturers to stop production in Russia. The sanctions were expected to bring the Russian economy to its knees, which happened at first, but recent information suggests that the Russians have found a solution for their automotive industry. The Russian government intends to invest up to $ 900 million in the development of a platform for their new car over the next three years.

Most of the funds come from the Russian parliament, and the project is led by NAMI (automotive institute). NAMI owns the premium brand Aurus Motors, which produces limousines for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“By designing such a modular platform, we are laying the foundation for the development of our automobile production. It will be used for cars of various classes, from compact to business. NAMI will play a leading role in this project, and the main task is to unify the component base for this platform. The new platform will also be used for the serial production of hybrid and especially electric vehicles in the future,” said Alexey Matushansky, Director of the Department for Strategic Development and Corporate Policy at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The batteries for the car will be produced by Rosatom (the Russian state atomic energy company), and the construction of two battery production plants is underway.

The Russians have previously tried to restore the production of European-brand cars, but illegally. In early 2024, information appeared that the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group, Stellantis’ partner in China, supplied parts to the Russian company Automotive Technologies, which began assembling the Citroen C5 Aircross. This was not the first time that Chinese companies violated agreements with other manufacturers, and this time the reason could be the agreement that Stellantis reached with another Chinese company (Leapmotor).

Customs records did not show that Stellantis knew about the imports, but evidence obtained by other companies shows a lack of control over their brands in Russia after leaving the country.

Source: Reuters