Tuesday 28th May 2024

Veteran Porsche exec handed Bentley reins

Does a man with the 918 Spyder on his CV have what it takes to lead Bentley into the electric age?

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If it weren’t for the surprise departure of Adrian Hallmark, Bentley could justifiably call itself on a roll. It has just launched its third coachbuilt Mulliner, the Batur Convertible; the new Continental GT - a 782hp V8 hybrid - will arrive next month; and it found time last month to break ground on a new paint shop at Crewe. In short, it’s all going on - and while its first fully electric car has now been pushed back to 2026 (meaning we won’t see a range comprised entirely of EVs till after 2030) even that feels like a prudent decision given the two thumbs down that apparently greets anything battery-electric launched in the luxury market. 

Having lost the man ultimately responsible for its strategy to Aston Martin, the VW Group has been forced to dig deep for his replacement. After nearly two months, it reckons it has found its man in Frank-Steffen Walliser - an industry veteran who has already served nearly 30 years at Porsche. “Bentley is getting an experienced engineer with distinct product and technology expertise and entrepreneurial experience who brought brand-defining models to the streets at Porsche,” said Gernot Döllner, Chairman of Audi’s management board. 

When one of those brand-defining models includes the 918 Spyder (Walliser was project leader on Porsche’s electrified hypercar) it’s fair to say that Döllner is not selling the German short. And if that seems insufficiently challenging, from 2014 until 2019, Walliser was the Head of Motorsport at Porsche - not a job for the fainthearted - before he took over management of the all-important 911 and 718 product lines. He only left that job so he could rise to the position of Vice President Complete Vehicle Architecture and Characteristics, where he was ultimately responsible for the technical design of all future Porsche models. This is a man who knows his onions, clearly. 

“I am approaching this job with great respect and looking forward to having a team in Crewe that has shown impressive performance over the last few years. The continuing transformation of the automotive industry will be a major task for Bentley as well, a task that I am happy to take on with the team. I am convinced Bentley will continue to set standards in the luxury segment in the future” Walliser said. Only time will tell, of course, how well the firm’s new CEO navigates Crewe’s eventual transition to a fully electric lineup - but Bentley’s employees could hardly have asked for a man with a more detailed understanding of the issues it faces. Let’s hope he brings the fairy dust with him. 

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• Adrian Hallmark swaps Bentley for Aston Martin
• Top 12 best supercars as voted by you | PH25

[dunnoreally]

Of all the fire and brimstone raining down across the industry setting fire to everything we once held dear, Bentley are one of a few brands which has been relatively unaffected. After all they (and RR for that matter) have been about big heavy ostentatious cars for if not quite all their existence certainly longer than I've been alive. Yes the Bentayga's an ugly old lump but, with hindsight, it's hardly out of character.

We're living in a very Bentley sort of world nowadays. I feel like all this latest grey suit needs to do is not mess it up.

[sidesauce]

Dr. Walliser may be many things but a 'grey suit' he most certainly is not - he's a proper engineer and I remember the below interview Chris Harris did with him very well (starts at 4:38):-



Unlike outgoing CEO Hallmark, who actually is a 'grey suit', Walliser doesn't come from a boardroom background and as someone credited as project leader of one of the most significant hypercars ever built, respect should be put on his name.

Edited by sidesauce on Wednesday 29th May 08:26

[malaccamax]

sidesauce said:

Dr. Walliser may be many things but a 'grey suit' he most certainly is not - he's a proper engineer and I remember the below interview Chris Harris did with him very well (starts at 4:38):-



Unlike outgoing CEO Hallmark, who actually is a 'grey suit', Walliser doesn't come from a boardroom background and as someone credited as project leader of one of the most significant hypercars ever built, respect should be put on his name.

Edited by sidesauce on Wednesday 29th May 08:26

That doesn't mean he won't muck it up though. 'Car guys' have failed to nail the brief in the past. The guy before Hallmark, Wolfgang Duerheimer, was a "proper engineer" but he wasn't much cop when it came to making Bentley profitable. Hallmark understood what was needed. Although luck plays a part too. It's a lot about where you are in the product cycle and Bentley's range is getting long in the tooth now and now there's the added stress of making an EV work

[swisstoni]

I think it’s pretty much only motoring journos who really give a monkey’s who head up these companies.

The only one I took notice of was Victor Gauntlet and that was only because he had the butchest name of all time.

[sidesauce]

malaccamax said:

sidesauce said:

Dr. Walliser may be many things but a 'grey suit' he most certainly is not - he's a proper engineer and I remember the below interview Chris Harris did with him very well (starts at 4:38):-



Unlike outgoing CEO Hallmark, who actually is a 'grey suit', Walliser doesn't come from a boardroom background and as someone credited as project leader of one of the most significant hypercars ever built, respect should be put on his name.

That doesn't mean he won't muck it up though. 'Car guys' have failed to nail the brief in the past. The guy before Hallmark, Wolfgang Duerheimer, was a "proper engineer" but he wasn't much cop when it came to making Bentley profitable. Hallmark understood what was needed. Although luck plays a part too. It's a lot about where you are in the product cycle and Bentley's range is getting long in the tooth now and now there's the added stress of making an EV work

Using Dr. Duerheimer is a poor example when he was literally responsible for making Porsche the profit powerhouse it is today by overseeing the introduction of the Cayenne.

Whether Dr. Walliser 'mucks it up' or not isn't really down to him personally. Bentley isn't an independent manufacturer and like Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi etc are all ultimately under the control of the VW board. Somehow I also doubt that under his watch Bentley sales will fall off a cliff and its profits will significantly fall which is, as far as I'm concerned, the only two metrics that really matter. As for the EV issue, it'll be far easier to integrate it into a luxury brand like Bentley than it would with a sportscar brand like Porsche.

Edited by sidesauce on Wednesday 29th May 11:05

[florian]

That's a very impressive career and a great choice. I'm sure he will do great at Bentley. I had the pleasure to have a lengthy conversation with Mr. Walliser once about the 918 and other Porsches. A genuinely nice guy and very passionate about this work. He's a hardcore German automotive engineer!

[malaccamax]

sidesauce said:

Whether Dr. Walliser 'mucks it up' or not isn't really down to him personally. Bentley isn't an independent manufacturer and like Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi etc are all ultimately under the control of the VW board. Somehow I also doubt that under his watch Bentley sales will fall off a cliff and its profits will significantly fall which is, as far as I'm concerned, the only two metrics that really matter. As for the EV issue, it'll be far easier to integrate it into a luxury brand like Bentley than it would with a sportscar brand like Porsche.

True that you're overseen by Audi as Bentley CEO but it is possible misunderstand the brand and its customers. Creating that Bentley appeal is an art that goes beyond engineering and design. Sure Walliser will figure it out but that won't be because he understands how to engineer a 911 but because he's able to plug into the world of a Bentley buyer, diverse as they are.

[fflump]

malaccamax said:

sidesauce said:

Whether Dr. Walliser 'mucks it up' or not isn't really down to him personally. Bentley isn't an independent manufacturer and like Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi etc are all ultimately under the control of the VW board. Somehow I also doubt that under his watch Bentley sales will fall off a cliff and its profits will significantly fall which is, as far as I'm concerned, the only two metrics that really matter. As for the EV issue, it'll be far easier to integrate it into a luxury brand like Bentley than it would with a sportscar brand like Porsche.

True that you're overseen by Audi as Bentley CEO but it is possible misunderstand the brand and its customers. Creating that Bentley appeal is an art that goes beyond engineering and design. Sure Walliser will figure it out but that won't be because he understands how to engineer a 911 but because he's able to plug into the world of a Bentley buyer, diverse as they are.

It's certainly an interesting job and a diverse client base with sales around 30% in the Americas, 25-30% in Europe (inc UK) and over 40% China/east Asia, all with different tastes, priorities, and tax regimes. Add to that having to find clear blue water between your product and other marques in the stable makes it doubly challenging.

[ManyMotors]

At least he has an easier task ahead than Michael Leiters.

[NDA]

swisstoni said:

I think it’s pretty much only motoring journos who really give a monkey’s who head up these companies.

Most people seem pretty worked up about Musk.

[swisstoni]

NDA said:

swisstoni said:

I think it’s pretty much only motoring journos who really give a monkey’s who head up these companies.

Most people seem pretty worked up about Musk.

Not me.