Bentley to open Mumbai outlet by 2008

MUMBAI: England-based Bentley Motors Ltd, the makers of luxury car brand Bentley, expects to sell 25 cars in India this year and would soon open their second India outlet in Mumbai, a top company official said.
    
"We expect to sell 25 cars this year in the Indian market and by the last quarter of 2008, we hope to open our second India outlet in Mumbai," Managing Director of Exclusive Motors, which is Indian partners for Bentley, Satya Prakash Bagla said.
    
The car maker today launched two new convertible models, Azure and Continental GTC for Indian market priced at Rs 3.80 crore and Rs 2.10 crore respectively.
    
Bentley debuted in India in October, 2003 and has one outlet, in Delhi. It has sold close to 50 cars till now in order to maintain exclusivity.
    
The company allocates a specific number of cars to be sold in a particular country.
    
"We have to keep Bentley exclusive while evenly balancing the demand around the world. This year, we have made an allocation of 25 cars for India," Bentley Motors Regional Sales Manager Ian Hession said.
    
He, however, denied that high duty and tax structure were a hurdle for the luxury car's sales.
    
The company plant has a capacity to produce 10,000 cars and last year it produced close to 6,500 cars.
    
"We hope to sell about 9,000 cars this year but do not have plans to expand our production capacity as we have to ensure that the car remains exclusive...we might revise allocation for countries," he said.