Bentley Motors has unveiled a new global retail concept designed to reshape how customers experience the marque across its network of more than 220 retailers in over 60 markets.
The concept has made its debut at Jack Barclay, Bentley’s flagship London retailer and the oldest Bentley retailer in the world. Established in 1927 and named after 1920s Bentley racing driver John Donald ‘Jack’ Barclay, the dealership provides the first setting for an identity that will subsequently be introduced across the wider global network.
The project combines Bentley’s 107-year heritage with an updated approach to automotive retail, moving away from the conventional linear showroom towards a hospitality-inspired environment focused on discovery and personalisation. Sculptural architecture, tactile materials and digital technology are brought together to support different stages of the customer journey, from configuring a vehicle and exploring materials to collecting a personally commissioned car.
A Hospitality-Inspired Customer Environment
A new architectural façade establishes the Bentley identity from the street through integrated lighting and a reinterpretation of the marque’s diamond pattern. Inside, customers enter through a curved glass entrance leading towards a bar, replacing the traditional reception desk with a more informal hospitality-inspired arrival.
At the centre of the concept is the Atelier, which brings aspects of the craftsmanship associated with Bentley’s Crewe factory into the retail environment. Customers can explore an extensive palette of leathers, veneers, finishes and colours, with physical samples supported by digital tools.
A 3D car configurator is connected directly to an LED wall, allowing customers and retail teams to move between tactile materials and digital representations as an individual vehicle specification takes shape.
Cars are positioned within gallery and lounge settings rather than conventional rows of showroom vehicles. Dedicated handover areas have also been created for customers collecting their new Bentley or beginning a test drive, with digital displays and curated lighting forming part of the experience.
Bentley Design Signatures Reinterpreted
The wider design language draws on established Bentley signatures. Curved architectural forms take their inspiration from the winged logo, while the marque’s diamond motif appears across the architecture and materials. Bentley Green provides a recurring visual element, while light is treated as a ‘fourth material’, guiding customers through the space and highlighting key features.
“Our retailers are one of the most important physical expressions of Bentley, and this new concept fundamentally rethinks how customers experience our brand in-person. Combining the craftsmanship and materials Bentley is known for with a more relaxed concept that feels less like a traditional automotive showroom and more like one curated for hospitality.”
Christophe Georges, Board Member for Sales and Marketing, Bentley
Designed as a modular concept, the new retail identity can be adapted to different locations, formats and architectural requirements while delivering a consistent Bentley experience across the global network.
The launch follows the unveiling of Torcal, Bentley’s new model line and the marque’s first fully electric vehicle.
“Strategic investment by our retailer partners is fundamental to Bentley’s long-term success in the UK. I would like to personally thank Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Founder of Berjaya Corporation, for his continued commitment to Bentley through H.R. Owen. This investment reinforces our shared ambition to build on the remarkable heritage of Jack Barclay and its more than 100-year relationship with Bentley, while positioning the business strongly for the future.”
Richard Leopold, Regional Director for EMEA, Bentley
The investment brings together H.R. Owen and Berjaya Corporation as Bentley begins the wider rollout of the new retail identity, with further locations across its international network set to follow.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
