Bentley in China: why sales halved from their peak, and what it says about ultra-luxury cars

Updated on August 6, 2026

Bentley’s sales in China fell from 4,212 cars in 2021 to 2,030 in 2025, as luxury spending slowed, the luxury car tax widened and Chinese electric brands moved up-market.

By Daxue Consulting

In 2024, a Bentley Flying Spur V8 had an official price of RMB 2.793 million in China. By mid-2026, some dealers offered it at RMB 1.993 million, almost 30% below list price. The three-year resale value of a Flying Spur had fallen from nearly 75% to 62% within a year (Sina Tech via Huxiu (虎嗅), July 2026).

Bentley sold a record 4,212 cars in China in 2021 and 2,030 in 2025, a 52% decline, with a further 30% YoY drop in January-April 2026 (Sina Tech via Huxiu). Mainland China and Hong Kong fell from 23% of the brand’s global sales in 2024 to 19% in 2025. This analysis of Bentley in China examines the causes of the decline, how Bentley’s approach differs from Rolls-Royce’s and what the case implies for luxury brands.

Bentley in China: key figures

Exhibit 1: Bentley’s China sales have fallen every year since their 2021 peak

Source: Sina Tech via Huxiu, July 2026, citing dealer and industry data.

Exhibit 2: The company remains profitable while China imports keep falling

Five factors explain the decline

Luxury spending. Wealthy Chinese buyers have spent more cautiously since 2022. CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser named falling Chinese demand as the main cause of the drop in sales (Sina Tech via Huxiu).

Tax. Since July 2025, China’s 10% tax on “super luxury” cars applies from RMB 900,000 instead of RMB 1.3 million and covers electric cars. Every Bentley is concerned.

Chinese electric rivals. Chinese premium electric brands now sell cars above RMB 1 million. Younger wealthy buyers compare imported brands with Huawei’s HIMA brands, NIO and the Maextro S800 developed by Huawei and JAC.

Product range. Bentley’s China models are mostly large-engine gasoline and plug-in hybrid cars, with screens and software that appear dated next to Chinese electric vehicles (Sina Tech via Huxiu). The first fully electric Bentley is still in preparation.

Discounts. Dealer discounts sell cars in the short term but lower resale values, which can lead buyers to wait for further price cuts. The cost for an owner is concrete: on a Flying Spur listed at about RMB 2.8 million, a fall in the three-year residual value from 75% to 62% means about RMB 360,000 of additional depreciation.

Bentley and Rolls-Royce follow different models in the same market

Import data shows the scale gap. Even after a 36% YoY decline, Bentley imported 115 cars into China in May 2026, more than Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini combined (89 cars). Bentley therefore has far more cars to place each month with the same narrow pool of ultra-wealthy buyers, which makes price discipline harder to maintain than for brands selling a few dozen cars.

Both brands sell British ultra-luxury cars in China and both face the slowdown. Rolls-Royce sells fewer, more personalized cars, measures success by order value and operates a bespoke center in Shanghai, as described in the analysis of Rolls-Royce in China. Bentley, with a wider and lower-priced range, depends more on volume, and its dealers have discounted to sustain it.

Price and resale information is public on Chinese car platforms

Bentley’s WeChat account and mini-program handle test drives, events and the owners’ club. On Douyin, dealer livestreams and car creators spread discount stories. Xiaohongshu carries lifestyle content and comparisons with Chinese electric vehicles. On Dongchedi (懂车帝) and Autohome (汽车之家), prices, reviews and used-car values are visible to every buyer, which makes falling resale values hard to contain.

How the market has changed over the past decade

Exhibit 3: From import status to competition with Chinese premium brands

Daxue Take: implications for luxury brands

1. For ultra-luxury carmakers with volume targets in China, the Bentley case suggests that managing allocations, prices and residual values with dealers matters more than meeting a volume plan. This applies most to brands selling a few thousand cars a year; brands selling a few hundred are less exposed.
2. Where dealers discount heavily, resale values tend to fall and buyers delay purchases. Brands that protect list prices may sell fewer cars in the short term but keep pricing power.
3. For brands preparing electric models, China is where the comparison with the strongest electric vehicles is made. A launch there is more likely to succeed with screens, connectivity and charging designed for Chinese expectations.
4. For heritage brands, craftsmanship, history and personal service are harder for Chinese brands to replicate quickly; Bentley’s Mulliner bespoke business is an example. The advantage holds as long as buyers value heritage over technology.
5. For other luxury categories, the shift away from status through imported badges is visible beyond cars, as the analysis of China’s ultra-luxury market shows.

Questions for leadership teams: Is the China volume target compatible with price discipline? How do residual values compare with Chinese premium brands? What does the brand offer that technology cannot replace?

What to watch next

• Bentley’s China sales for the full year 2026.
• The launch timing and China pricing of the first fully electric Bentley.
• Dealer discount levels and resale values on Dongchedi and Autohome.
• Any change to the luxury car consumption tax.

FAQ about Bentley in China

How many cars does Bentley sell in China? Bentley sold 2,030 cars in China in 2025, down from a record 4,212 in 2021, and 489 in the first four months of 2026.

Why are Bentley sales falling in China? Weaker luxury spending, a wider 10% luxury car tax since July 2025, competition from Chinese premium electric brands and a gasoline-heavy range, according to analysts quoted by Sina Tech.

How important is China for Bentley? Still significant. Mainland China and Hong Kong made 19% of Bentley’s global sales in 2025, down from 23% in 2024.

What is Bentley’s electric offer in China? There is no fully electric model yet. Bentley sells gasoline and plug-in hybrid cars and is preparing its first fully electric car.

About Daxue Consulting

Daxue Consulting is a market research and strategy consulting firm focused on China. For luxury and automotive brands, Daxue Consulting interviews high-net-worth buyers and owners, mystery shops dealers and showrooms, tracks prices and residual values on car platforms, and benchmarks Chinese premium brands on product and customer experience. Related analyses cover the luxury car market and the automotive market. Learn more about our market research services or contact our team.

Author: Daxue Consulting