Bentley has named its new design director as Andreas Mindt, who played a key role in styling the electric E-tron SUV as the head of exterior design at Audi.
In his current role, Mindt has been key in developing the styling of the current Audi range. He shaped the look of the Q8 SUV and the brand's first EV, the Audi E-tron, plus worked on a series of future-gazing concept cars.
He will move to Bentley on 1 March to replace Stefan Sielaff, who is leaving the Volkswagen Group after six years at the British firm.
Mindt will start his job on the same day that Audi will take ‘management responsibility’ for Bentley within the Volkswagen Group, in part due to ‘synergies’ between the two premium brands as they push to electrify their line-up.
Bentley is currently developing its first fully electric car, which will be based on the advanced Artemis platform that's currently being developed by Audi.
Bentley engineering chief Matthias Rabe said that Mindt’s “creative experience in progressive electric car design” will help Bentley in the development of its first EV.
Before joining Audi, Mindt spent more than 15 years working in the Volkswagen design department on projects for various brands within the group. As part of his work, he was responsible for the exterior design of the 1999 Bentley Hunaudieres show car.
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Think you'll find that when Audi can't make Bentley profitable they'll end up just using the Bentley nameplate as an high end specification just like Mercedes uses the Maybach name. VW already plan to make an Audi,Porsche,Bentley EV on the same platform in their Hannover plant after they switch production of the Transporter to Ford's Turkish plant. (It's too expensive & a political nightmare to close a plant in Germany so to please the Unions they will just re-tool it to make expensive EV's there because making Transpoters was too expensive).
Hmm, when a comment about a departing chief designer does not come from the CEO it means one of two things in my experince on the inside. Either 1) the designer and CEO fell out or 2) there's a wider clear-out and the CEO is soon out the door.
I've nothing against Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark, even though he fired me decades ago, he's a good leader. So I hope he stays put.