Bentley Planning $140K SUV

Times may be tough, but the market for the most luxurious of luxury cars is booming at Bentley, and the British-based automaker is ready to capitalize on it. The company is considering building an SUV that would be priced at more than $140,000—and odds are good that the plans will go ahead, says the chief of the Volkswagen-owned brand. Bentley saw a profit last year for the first time in three years, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Sales jumped 37% last year, with 7,003 Bentleys sold, and it expects double-digit sales growth this year. The company will decide about the SUV during the first quarter. "If we bring this (SUV) to the market it will be positioned significantly above the vehicles that are currently available in this segment," says Wolfgang Duerheimer. In this economy, the company is feeling "ambitious but realistic." (More Bentley stories.)