Bentley is helping to create a university technical college in Crewe as part of efforts to meet a skills shortage and to produce the home-grown talent it believes is vital to preserve its quintessential Britishness.
Kevin Rose, Bentley’s board member for sales and marketing, said that training more engineers and designers in the town, where the company is building a new research and development centre, was needed to protect the marque and expand its sales overseas.
“It is crucial for a luxury brand that there is a close connection to the country of origin, whether it be cars or clothing,” he said.
Mr Rose defined Britishness as embodying craftsmanship, style, understatement, innovation, a twinkle in the eye, gentlemanly behaviour and an abstract sense of humour.