If the Tesla Model S prodded the legacy car companies to get on top of battery production and introduce iPad-like screens in cars, Chinese car companies are bringing the heat for what’s left of the 2020s in all segments. Much of the media coverage has rightly been on how this trend will affect mass-market vehicles. But what does it mean at the high end of the market?
“Well, the first question would be ‘Are the Chinese manufacturers really competitive?'” said Bentley Chairman and CEO Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser in an interview during Monterey Car Week. In the bucolic coastal setting, surrounded by the rarest of rare cars, the competition from the other side of the world appeared far off.
“I don’t want to be arrogant, but having what is considered a car in the luxury segment needs more than just technology. It’s honestly only Germany, Italy, and the UK. You need heritage, you need the craftsmanship behind, you need the storytelling and everything with it. That builds up an actual brand.”