Demand from US drivers for a larger version of Bentley’s flagship Bentayga SUV has boosted the luxury car maker’s sales.

The Bentayga EWB, a stretched version of the car with an extra seven inches of legroom for backseat passengers, helped Bentley post 39pc higher sales in the Americas in the first quarter of the year. 

Across the period, the Bentayga accounted for 42pc of the manufacturer’s overall sales. 

Adrian Hallmark, Bentley’s chairman and chief executive, said: “Despite a challenging global environment, we started 2023 where we left off in 2022, with another solid set of financial figures, driving growth in revenue, operating profit and return on sales.

“Bentley’s record performance in the Americas is also especially notable, with one in three of our luxury cars now sold in the region. The introduction of the Bentayga EWB, plus the success of the Flying Spur sedan, have been key to this growth.”

An increase in rich drivers opting for luxury choices has helped the company raise its profit margin to 24pc from 21pc a year ago, the car maker said. 

Similarly to its competitors, Bentley has moved away from a model of guessing what will sell, making it and sending it to dealers, towards taking design briefs directly from customers. As a result, the company can demand far higher prices for custom finishes, offering everything from stone to 5,000-year-old wood salvaged from East Anglian bogs.