Bentley is planning to expand its lineup beyond the yet-unnamed SUV which is set to debut in 2016, according to a report from Auto Express. The current lineup from the Crewe-based Volkswagen-owned automaker consists of just three main lines, with the ever-expanding Continental GT range still making up a large chunk of Bentley's sales.

Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, speaking with the British magazine, named two possible directions for a fifth model line which the company is currently considering. One option, as outlined by Durheimer, would be to introduce a four-door coupe to the lineup. This potential model would be positioned between the Continental GT and the Mulsanne. The second option mentioned by Durheimer would involve the development of a two-seater sports car that would make use of the 4.0-liter V8 engine that recently found its way into the Continental GT and the Flying Spur sedan.

"Our designers are extremely busy right now preparing designs for each of them and we are preparing business cases. We will make the decision when we have more information," the Bentley CEO told Auto Express.

Durheimer also indicated that concepts previewing either vehicle would likely appear after the debut of the SUV in late 2015. He further stressed that a solid business case would have to exist for either addition to the lineup.

The Bentley SUV, which may or may not carry the name Falcon when it goes on sale in early 2016, will be the company's first "mass-produced" offering in this segment even though one-offs based on the Range Rover have been created in the past. Bentley has contemplated the addion of an SUV to the lineup since the early 2000s, but has only recently decided to pull the trigger on the new model.

The rapidly growing Chinese market for luxury cars has fueled demand for new types of vehicles from luxury manufacturers large and small, and it is seen as one of the main driving forces behind Bentley's expansion of its lineup. The booming Middle Eastern market for luxury cars has also given once-small luxury automakers the business will to introduce new models.

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