News

Press Release - 11 December 2007

Bentley Design Competition

Three children from Knutsford have taken top prize in a competition organised by Bentley Manchester to design a Bentley for 2020.

Designs by Laura Downes, aged 7 from Bexton Primary School, Rosie Swinhoe, aged 13 from King’s School and Alan Henshall-Lofthouse, aged 16 – a BEN recipient were chosen from several hundred entries from children aged 6 to 16 from Bexton School, Kings School and the automotive industry charity, BEN.

The winners and entrants joined the Bentley Manchester team on Thursday December 6th at the new dealership site at Knutsford to have their designs immortalised in a time capsule to be buried in the grounds in a sealed casket where they will be saved for posterity.

A unique Bentley print, specially commissioned to commemorate the event and personally signed by Bentley’s Styling Director and Exterior and Interior Managers who are responsible for designing Bentley’s fabulous current range of super cars at its headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire was presented to each winner.

The competing youngsters’ designs aimed to capture the sporting pedigree and luxurious attributes of the Bentley brand with the practical aspects of future motoring needs.   Each winner came up with an innovative solution to the brief including ingenious ideas for gadgets, beating congestion and pollution. In Rosie Swinhoe’s classic Bentley design, innovative bumpers produced from recycled tyres were featured together with a roof option to retain heat in cold weather and release warm air in more temperate conditions.

The burial of the time capsule marks a time line in the construction of Bentley Manchester’s new showroom which is due to open in January 2008.  Within the impressive contemporary glass and chrome façade, the new 25,758 sq ft building, will encompass a state of the art sales facility and dedicated service area.
A massive £5 million budget has been invested into the project which will make the showroom one of the most technologically advanced Bentley dealerships in the country, and will replace the current showroom at Stretford, Manchester.

Managing Director, Jon Crossley, said: “The local youngsters have really entered into the spirit of the competition and have shown great insight and awareness of Bentley’s brand values in their designs. They have also displayed a great deal of consciousness of environmental issues, which are so important to our society today. The results are a superb example of their imagination and design skill.  The support of the local community is paramount to us and we intend to support local activities into the future.

“I would like to thank all the children for their entries and thank Mike Butt for his help in sealing the capsule for us.”

For more information call Jon Crossley on 01565 632222.
 
ENDS

For more editorial information contact Sue Robinson on 01902 714957 or email sue@connect-group.com