Bentley Motors has officially opened its new Design Studio at its Crewe headquarters — a physical manifestation of the brand’s most significant design revolution in over a century. The space, a fully restored 1939 structure known as the ‘Front of House’, now serves as the creative nerve center for Bentley’s upcoming electric vehicles, future interiors, and digital experiences.
It’s not just a building — it’s a signal. A brick-and-mortar stake in the ground that says Bentley is taking the future seriously.
Where Heritage Meets Hardware
The building itself dates back to the earliest days of Bentley’s presence in Crewe, having hosted VIPs from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the company’s most loyal customers. Now, it’s been expanded vertically with an added third floor, doubling the footprint of the previous design space and welcoming over 50 full-time creatives.
Everything from color and trim, to Mulliner bespoke commissions, to UX/UI teams will now work under one roof — a first for the brand. That kind of integration matters more than ever in a digital-first age, where luxury buyers expect their infotainment screens to feel just as tailored as their lambswool floor mats.
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Even the smallest touches reinforce this marriage of old and new. The original 1939 brass stairwell has been restored and reinstalled, flanked by a commemorative plaque. It’s Bentley doing what it does best — celebrating craft, but putting it to work.
And this isn’t just interior fluff. These are the very teams responsible for crafting Bentley’s freshly updated ‘Winged B’ emblem, the brand’s first logo change in over two decades. Penned by interior designer Young Nam, the sharper, more angled design now stands as the face of Bentley’s electric era — and made its debut on the EXP 15 concept, revealed last Wednesday.
Design As Strategy
It’s hard to ignore the strategic intent behind this new hub. In recent years, Bentley has outpaced Rolls-Royce in both sales and bespoke commissions, with over 10,000 vehicles delivered in 2024 and 70% of them featuring at least one Mulliner touch. While Rolls continues to lean into heritage and grandeur, Bentley is increasingly positioned as the more progressive of the two — without sacrificing its luxury core.
That forward momentum is bolstered by tech that speaks louder than marketing. While the new studio will focus largely on EV interiors, Bentley hasn’t abandoned its V8-powered heart just yet. Recent developments like Akrapovič titanium exhaust systems for the Continental GT and Flying Spur hybrids prove the brand still knows how to make things that sound as good as they look. The message is clear: electrification may be inevitable, but engagement is non-negotiable.
More Than Just A Studio
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Bentley’s new CEO, called the space “a necessary positive next step” and a “truly collaborative environment” that will shape how Bentley designs cars in a BEV world. This is more than a design department — it’s the creative center of gravity for everything Bentley will become.
Even the architectural approach speaks volumes. Where other brands are tearing down and building afresh, Bentley chose to restore and repurpose. It’s not just a sustainability flex — though that matters, too — it’s a reminder that this brand doesn’t move on from its past. It folds it into the future.
And that’s what this building really is: not just a studio, but a blueprint. One that hints at how a 106-year-old brand plans to remain relevant for the next century.
