Maintaining Bentley's Identity for Over a Century is Crucial

Autonomous driving is no longer a concept of the distant future. For Bentley, the luxury brand with over 130 years of automotive history, it represents the correct roadmap forward. Stefan Sierakowski, head of Bentley's design department, shared his vision with us, presenting several design samples that evoke the Bentley of 20 years hence.

"Designing the Bentley of tomorrow is not a simple task. However, what's crucial is to maintain Bentley's brand identity for the next century and beyond. This means embodying the world that everyone expects from Bentley. We also need to visualize our current concepts and connect them to an innovative future."

Car design is not achieved overnight. Newness emerges through time, repeated evolution, and sometimes reinterpreting tradition. Within such brand timelines, keywords like 'worldview' and 'distinctiveness' are indispensable. Even when comparing past and present Bentleys, there's a key element that makes them instantly recognizable as the same brand, and Bentley's worldview remains unshaken despite design changes over time.

Stefan Sierakowski, a German leading the future of Bentley, has had a distinguished career spanning decades at Audi and Volkswagen, primarily focusing on interior design. He then moved to Mercedes-Benz, where he continued his work in interior design. He was appointed Chief Designer at Bentley in 2015. His team is currently dedicating its efforts to this design concept, envisioning the near future of luxury cars.

"The most important thing is to imagine and express the direction of luxury cars expected of us, alongside the Bentley brand. For me, the 1952 R-Type Continental by Mulliner is particularly memorable. This model's exterior boasts beautiful curves crafted through traditional handcraftsmanship. Its powerful, distinctive lines, voluptuous rear, and roofline that evokes speed—it's filled with proportions that remain captivating even today. This DNA will be passed on to future Bentleys."

What are the guiding principles for creating the future of Bentley?

"As someone involved with a British brand of great heritage, the role of the design team is particularly important. However, Bentley's future is not determined by design alone. We must integrate many elements, such as mechanics and materials, in a three-dimensional manner. Sometimes, it is my role as a manager to drive new design cues. Yet, there are unchanging factors. That is 'elegance.' This will remain a constant guiding principle, regardless of who leads Bentley's design."

What is Bentley's vision for the design of luxury cars of the future?

"Customer demands evolve with the times. Considering today's world where infotainment is commonplace, the future of luxury design is somewhat complex. We cannot discuss the exterior or interior of the next Bentley at this moment. However, it will always express Bentley's distinctiveness integrated with new technology. We can advance this—which could be called Bentley's aesthetic—through technological input."

How will cars evolve in the future? What answers emerge from considering both design and lifestyle (usage)?

"I feel that society has changed significantly in recent years. I believe the automotive industry will undergo major transformations in the next 20 years. Three-quarters of the world's population will form larger cities, and people will live there. In the traffic of such future megacities, autonomous driving will be commonplace. In cities, we will be freed from the task of driving our own cars. In such a (hypothetical) future, the role of the luxury car may become even more important than it is today. The focus will shift to the luxury car's role as a comfortable mobile space. If that happens, we may need to redefine what luxury means. For example, future luxury might mean being a member of an exclusive club that grants access to 'special values' that are even more precious than time or speed, like the carpool (fast lane) on North American freeways. While Bentley customers may already experience something similar personally on suburban roads or mountain passes, this could change in megacities."

The interior of a Bentley 20 years from now might resemble a luxurious hotel suite, complete with a holographic butler ready to fulfill customer requests. While the holographic butler inside the car would be virtual, it could communicate with appropriate services to ensure that the desired amenities are prepared the moment the Bentley arrives. Yet, even after 20 years, the image illustration suggests that Bentley customers will still value tradition, perhaps elegantly penning a letter with a fountain pen while holding a champagne glass. That worldview is precisely what defines Bentley. This image is particularly interesting as a sample illustrating how traditional luxury manufacturers, who have consistently provided comfortable spaces, can leverage their strengths as autonomous driving becomes more prevalent.