Autocar confidential: Bentley's sales snub, the standalone Citroen and more

In this week's round-up of automotive gossip,   we hear why Bentley isn't worried about annual sales growth, the uniqueness of Citroen's   ?-C4 electric hatchback,   and more.

Bentley's sales snub

Bentley is one of the few manufacturers not aiming for annual sales growth, according to boss Adrian Hallmark. “We’re not aiming for 15,000 or even 13,000,” he said, acknowledging that the firm has hovered around 10,000 units per year since 2007. Instead, Bentley will work to increase the profitability of each car it sells. The Continental GT already sells for 22% above list price on average.

Top of a class of one

Citroen says its new ?-C4 electric hatchback, set to be priced from around ?30,000, will essentially sit in a class of one when it’s launched next year. At the moment, said UK product marketing boss Rob Clark, “customers are faced with left-field EVs, B-segment hatchbacks or more expensive premium cars, so this is a car that could attract a new audience”.

Kia deals in

It will be a long time before most manufacturers move away from physical dealerships and online buying becomes the norm, reckons Kia UK president Paul Philpott: “To spend the sort of money you do on a car requires confidence, and for most people, that comes from seeing and trying the car and talking to experts.”

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