Bentley hires 93 despite 275 job cuts

Bentley Motors is recruiting 93 early-career professionals even as it proceeds with a restructuring plan that eliminates up to 275 positions. The luxury automaker announced the intake of 29 apprentices, 15 graduates, and 49 industrial placements, framing the move as an investment in future technical expertise rather than an immediate reversal of its workforce reduction.

The hiring initiative arrives amid significant operational headwinds. Global deliveries dropped 4.8% last year to 10,131 vehicles. Performance has deteriorated further in 2026, with first-half shipments falling 13.6% to 4,211 units compared to the same period in 2025. Weak demand in China and U.S. tariffs have pressured the company’s margins, prompting management to cut roughly 6% of its U.K.-based staff to maintain long-term competitiveness.

Despite the downsizing, Bentley continues to expand its product portfolio. The recent launch of the Torcal, an urban SUV sharing the Porsche Cayenne Electric’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, marks the brand’s entry into the EV market. However, slower-than-anticipated electric vehicle adoption has forced Bentley to abandon its previous goal of going all-electric by 2030. Internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid models will remain core components of the Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga lines for the foreseeable future.

The new roles cover Research & Development, Manufacturing, IT, and Sales & Marketing. Apprenticeships offer paid work alongside academic qualifications up to degree level, while graduate programs provide two years of hands-on experience. Industrial placements allow university students to spend 12 months working with industry professionals. These pathways are designed to feed into longer-term employment as the company completes a £350 million ($462 million) transformation of its headquarters in Crewe.

Applications for the 2027 industrial placement program are open until October 23, 2026. Recruitment for apprenticeships begins in February 2027. While these hires do not immediately offset the job losses, they aim to build the specialized skills required to manage Bentley’s evolving model lineup and manufacturing processes.