Ask anyone in the luxury sector of what Chinese customers are asking for and the answer is almost unanimously pointed out to technology. But the CEO of Bentley, Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, has just claimed that digital will never be luxurious.
“It may be expensive, but not luxury,” Walliser in Newsweek said, continuing to declare that there will always be a need for good know-how.
While many modern luxury brands agree, there has been a huge change in what the next generation of wealthy people want, with Istituto Marangoni, a private fashion, art and design school, saying that China will represent 25% of the world market for personal luxury products by 2030.
Generation Z and generation Y, which represent 70% of luxury expenses, are more concerned with advanced AI assistants, immersive virtual reality and the latest technological innovations, rather than manifest manifestations.
Walliser does not deny the need to adopt new and emerging technologies, because the company should launch its first EV dedicated next year. But he continues by saying in his newsweek interview that luxury is linked to matter and crafts, like art.
“Digital art is not so successful. I will not say that it does not exist, but is it breakthrough? No, this is not the case,” he continues to explain.
Bentley recently doubled his efforts to deliver craft vehicles and very tailor -made to those who are ready to pay for this.
A recent gradient paint finish “ Shadow by Mulliner ”, for example, would take 56 hours of hand manufacturing to deliver and costs £ 50,000 / 67,000 $ / 105,000 to, according to a carwow configurator.
Similarly, its One Plus One Batur convertible has a hand in an inner hand by the Mulliner of Bentley division with contrasted driver and passenger seats, with a tailor -made baggage of two rooms on the request of the customer.
Consequently, three out of four Bentleys leave the headquarters of Bentley’s Crewe with custom Mulliner content. More than ever, according to Newsweek.
Analysis: Ignoring digital is dangerous
While luxury car manufacturers continue to rely strongly on their brand history and traditional production methods, the market experienced a significant slowdown in China, which was once considered a major source of sales for Rolls-Royce, Bentley and more.
There have been changes in luxury taxes and financial uncertainty that will have had an impact on trade, but the Boom of Industry VE has also opened a considerable technological abyss between East and West.
In addition, young generations around the world are increasingly looking for the latest digital features, AI progress and automated driving technology as key reasons for making a purchase.
Xiaomi, for example, sold more than 135,000 SU7 models in China last year, although it was its EV debut, while Porsche managed to change only 56,887 units of all its models during the same period.
In fact, most of the main German luxury brands struggle in China for this very reason. Although it remains to be seen if Xiaomi, Yangwang and more will have an impact beyond their domestic market.
Despite the fact that ultra-luxury brands tend to feel economic impacts to a lesser extent, navigation in the digital world remains a delicate task, because they do not want to lose their identity but also want to avoid alienating new buyers thanks to a lack of technology.
The recent Aston Martin association with Apple Carplay Ultra is an excellent example, because the software has proven to be excellent and probably what carplay users have required for years, but the masses of Apple screens also made the vehicle less special.
