The member of the British royal family toured the automaker’s production areas and officially opened the facility that will be used for the future Bentley Torcal
Princess Anne officially opened Bentley Motors’ new paint shop in Crewe, United Kingdom. The visit took place on Wednesday, July 22, and was presented by the automaker as a milestone in its industrial modernization program.
During her visit to Bentley’s headquarters, the British Princess Royal toured the design studio, production lines and the new paint facility. She also spoke with employees working in vehicle engineering, manufacturing and finishing.
The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque installed to mark the opening of the facility. Although the presence of a member of the royal family gives the event institutional weight, the main relevance of the visit lies in the public support for an industrial operation that remains important to British automotive production.
Visit highlights the importance of the Crewe factory
The Crewe factory is Bentley’s main production center and hosts a significant portion of the brand’s vehicle development, assembly and finishing operations.
By welcoming Princess Anne, the company sought to reinforce its connection with British industry and highlight the investments made to update the site. The automaker calls this process the “Dream Factory,” an expression used to describe the transformation of its facilities into a more automated, flexible and efficient complex.
Bentley chairman and CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said the visit served to recognize the work of the employees involved in the project. The statement, however, carried the institutional tone typical of a ceremony of this scale and provided no additional details about construction costs or the expected return on the investment.
New facility covers 12,500 square meters
The paint shop covers an area of 12,500 square meters, spread across several levels. The building has become the tallest structure in Bentley’s industrial complex in Crewe.
According to the automaker, the facility will be the world’s first automotive paint shop to use automatically guided vehicles, known as AGVs, to transport vehicle bodies throughout the process.
These autonomous platforms replace some fixed transport systems and make it easier to change the production sequence. The solution is particularly useful for a luxury manufacturer that works with lower volumes and a wide variety of colors, finishes and configurations.
Automation does not eliminate manual stages. Activities such as inspection, quality control and finishing continue to depend on skilled professionals, an important point for a brand that uses craftsmanship as a key element of differentiation.
Future Bentley Torcal will be painted at the facility
The new facility will be responsible for painting the Continental GT, Continental GTC and Flying Spur. The future Bentley Torcal, the company’s fourth model line, will also pass through the facility from the start of production.
The inclusion of the Torcal in the factory’s planning shows that Bentley is already adapting its structure for a new phase of its product portfolio. The company, however, has yet to disclose all the technical and commercial information about the model.
More than an area dedicated to applying paint, the facility is expected to allow different vehicles to move through the line without relying on a rigid sequence. This flexibility could prove decisive in controlling costs and meeting highly personalized orders.
Source and images: Bentley. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
