Bentley is having an amazing year in China, as the sales grow a staggering 66 percent just in the first four months of 2011. They have sold 396 cars in that period.

The sales of the British luxury brand has been on a constant rise over the past couple of years. In 2010, Bentley sold just under a thousand cars in China – nearly double the previous year’s performance – and now in 2011 so far China has outsold the UK for the first time making it the second most important market for Bentley after the United States.

That’s more astonishing when you realize the new Continental GT and new Mulsanne are not even presented in Chinese market. Those figures are for the older models. So Bentley expects to do even better when the new models launch and expand the lineup. They have plans to expand its Chinese dealer network by one third in 2011 alone.

In recognition of the importance of China to Bentley, the Company is this week hosting its Worldwide Dealer Conference in Beijing.

Bentley’s Member of the Board for Sales and Marketing, Alasdair Stewart said:“China is the perfect venue for Bentley’s Dealer Conference: it contains such a vibrant mix of the traditional and the modern and it is now one of our most significant markets.

“Our Chinese customers, like the rest of the world, value Bentley’s history and our emphasis on the finest luxury, craftsmanship and automotive excellence.  Although China has traditionally been a market for four-door cars such as the Mulsanne and the Continental Flying Spur, there is growing interest in the excitement, adrenalin and sheer fun of driving high performance sports car. This was clear from the recent Shanghai Auto Show where half of the 50 cars sold were new Continental GTs – and it is a key reason we are so confident about our future here.”