- Bentley's new Crewe paint shop has started operations with a one-off Continental GT S.
- The facility will paint Continental GT, GTC, Flying Spur and Bentley's first BEV immediately.
- Bentley says the new shop reduces waste materials and cuts paint-operation VOC emissions.
A greener way to paint Bentleys
Bentley's new paint shop at Crewe has started operations, marking another step in the brand's "Dream Factory" transformation.
The new facility covers 12,500 square metres and is the tallest building on Bentley's site. It has been designed to support more bespoke paint processes, including finishes that need a mix of automated application and hand craftsmanship.
Bentley says the Continental GT and GTC, Flying Spur and the brand's first battery-electric vehicle will be painted in the new shop immediately. The Bentayga will be added later.
To mark the opening, Bentley completed a one-off Continental GT S wearing a new Spectral Verdant finish. The colour is described as an evolution of Bentley's existing Verdant shade, with a spectrum effect visible under natural light. The car also wears a hand-sprayed Union Flag racing stripe in Ghost White Pearlescent.
More than a shiny building
The paint shop is also pitched as a manufacturing upgrade. Bentley says its energy and thermal management systems capture warmer air from high-tech paint application systems and redistribute that energy through the building, meaning the facility does not require heating for two-thirds of the year.
A water-based paint primer replaces the previous solvent-based solution. Bentley also says more accurate paint application, reduced masking materials and filtration monitoring will reduce waste materials by up to 45 per cent compared with the previous facility.
The company also claims a residual thermal oxidiser will purify air from the paint process and reduce VOC emissions from long-term paint operations by up to 98 per cent.
Automated carriers, bespoke finishes
Inside, ten automated guided vehicles move bodies between workstations. Bentley says this is the first automotive paint shop in the world to use self-propelled carriers, helping the facility support complex customer paint requests.
The same carrier technology is also being added to Bentley's A1 assembly building, which is being prepared for battery-electric vehicle production.
Bentley has not disclosed technical details for its first EV in this release, but the paint shop confirms the electric model is now part of the factory's immediate production planning.
