Bentley Design Studio Revamps Crewe HQ for Electric Future
Bentley Motors has transformed its historic 1939 Front of House building in Crewe into a state-of-the-art Bentley Design Studio, conceived entirely by the company’s design team. Chairman and CEO Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser unveiled the space with board members and the 4,000-strong workforce at a celebration hosted by architect and television personality George Clarke, giving colleagues a rare glimpse before the studio becomes a secure hub for future luxury car design.
The refurbished landmark now doubles the size of the previous studio after the team added a third floor and re-used original fabric wherever possible, supporting Bentley’s carbon-neutral ambitions. Designers retained the building’s character while creating an inspiring environment for approximately fifty specialists who will shape the exterior and interior styling of forthcoming Bentley BEV models.
For the first time under one roof, experts in colour and trim, the bespoke Mulliner division, and UX/UI design collaborate seamlessly, ensuring every new Bentley blends craftsmanship with intuitive electric vehicle technology. Dr Walliser remarked, “We are currently steering the biggest Bentley design revolution in our history, and so to inspire our designers and wider team with an innovative and creative environment that enables the ability to drive the creation of Bentley’s future BEV models is a necessary positive next step to create the next great chapter for Bentley Motors. Having the ability to form a truly collaborative group within one space will offer a step change in how we work together. That holistic team will enable us to achieve success by design.”
The Dream Factory headquarters continues to attract unprecedented investment, with recent additions such as the Excellence Centre for Quality and Launch, a new paint shop, and a dedicated BEV assembly line reinforcing Bentley’s commitment to sustainable, flexible production. Rather than replace heritage features, the team restored the original brass stairwell to its former glory and reinstated it in its original position, marking the meeting point of past and future with a commemorative plaque.
Board Member for Manufacturing Andreas Lehe added, “The modernisation of our site, while at the same time respecting our origins, is something I am particularly proud of in this building, and it gives me great delight to say that our talented design team have a new home they can be proud of. This is just the next step in our state-of-the-art site transformation as we continue to revolutionise our headquarters into benchmark, truly digital, innovative, highly flexible facilities.”
