Updated on 6 August 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, and 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.
| Daxue Overview |
|---|
| Sales: 4,212 cars in 2021, 2,030 in 2025, 489 in January-April 2026 (-30% YoY) (Sina Tech via Huxiu). |
| Weight of China: 19% of Bentley’s global sales in 2025, down from 23% in 2024. |
| Prices: dealer discounts of up to about 30% and falling resale values. |
| Causes: weaker luxury spending, a wider luxury car tax since July 2025, Chinese electric rivals, a petrol-heavy range. |
| Company: revenue of €2.6 billion and operating profit of €216 million in 2025 (Driven). |
Bentley in China: key figures
Exhibit 1: Bentley’s China sales have fallen every year since their 2021 peak
| Year | Bentley sales in China | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,212 (record) | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| 2022 | 4,033 | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| 2023 | 3,006 | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| 2024 | 2,608 | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| 2025 | 2,030 (-22% YoY) | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| Jan-Apr 2026 | 489 (-30% YoY) | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
Source: Sina Tech via Huxiu, July 2026, citing dealer and industry data.
Exhibit 2: The company remains profitable while China imports keep falling
| Indicator | Figure | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley global deliveries | -5% YoY | 2025 | Driven |
| Revenue and operating profit | €2.6 billion; €216 million, seventh consecutive profitable year | 2025 | Driven |
| Jobs cut | 275, about 6% of staff | 2026 | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| Ultra-luxury imports into China | Bentley 115 (-36% YoY), Ferrari 36, Rolls-Royce 29, Lamborghini 24, Maserati 21, Aston Martin 14 | May 2026 | Sina Tech via Huxiu |
| Luxury car consumption tax | 10% at retail from RMB 900,000 before VAT, electric cars included | Since 20 July 2025 | CnEVPost |
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 petrol 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.
Bentley and Rolls-Royce follow different models in the same market
Both brands sell British ultra-luxury cars in China and both face the slowdown. Rolls-Royce sells fewer, more personalised cars, measures success by order value and operates a bespoke centre 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
| Early 2010s | Today | |
|---|---|---|
| China’s place | Among Bentley’s top markets, fast growth | 19% of global sales (2025) and falling |
| Competition | Maybach, Bugatti, Aston Martin | Rolls-Royce, Maybach, Porsche, and Chinese EVs such as Maextro, HIMA and NIO |
| Buyer | Entrepreneur, status purchase | Younger, technology-minded, more discreet |
| Product | V8 and W12 grand tourers | Petrol and hybrids; first EV in preparation |
| Price | Official prices respected | Discounts of up to about 30%, falling resale values |
| Tax | Luxury tax from RMB 1.3 million | From RMB 900,000, EVs included |
Daxue Take: implications for luxury brands
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 petrol-heavy range, according to analysts quoted by Sina Tech.
Is China still important for Bentley? Yes. Mainland China and Hong Kong made 19% of Bentley’s global sales in 2025, down from 23% in 2024.
Does Bentley sell electric cars in China? Not a fully electric model yet. Bentley sells petrol 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
