Sales in the BRIC markets – Brazil, Russia, India and China – will total around 1,000 this year – more than 10% of total Bentley sales. “Motorisation always starts at the top – some very rich people always want the top cars first,” says Eichhorn. America is still the largest market for Bentley, accounting for 40% of the 9,000-10,000 total sales expected this year. But the weakness of the US dollar means Bentley makes less money on cars sold there than just about anywhere else.

In any case, Eichhorn does not believe Bentley sales will be decimated by the credit crunch. “Most of our customers don’t live in sub-prime houses. Their buying power is not directly affected – it’s more a general mood and atmosphere.”

Meanwhile unit profitability has been improved this year thanks to more up-market versions being sold, in particular the Speed models, which Eichhorn said have been “an incredible success”. He continued: “The GT Speed model is selling at more than twice the rate that we expected. It’s the best of the range – and our customers want the best!”

Making more Speed versions is easy at Bentley’s Crewe plant. “We have a very high degree of flexibility as we build all models down one track – we can shift production from one to another very quickly,” Eichhorn said.

For future technology, Bentley is going eco-friendly. “Over the past five years we have reduced CO2 emissions by 60g/km – a 15% reduction. And we will reduce this by a further 15% up to 2012,” he said.

Later, a more radical development is planned. “We will introduce a powertrain that is 40% more efficient than those we use today – without any sacrifice in performance or refinement. We’re not talking about it yet, but it will be in the market by 2012,” says Eichhorn.