Bentley->ke15 is apparently getting serious about SUVs->ke145, as its engineering boss Rolf Frech says a second, smaller SUV is “a possibility.” That would be in addition to the upcoming Bentayga SUV that’s slated for release in 2016.

Two main reasons give hope for the crossover.->ke288 First, Bentley is not ignorant of the growth that market has seen in the last few years. Bentley’s own chairman and CEO, Wolfgang Dürheimer, has said the original prediction of Bentayga sales cresting at 3,000 units annually “could be conservative.” The automakers says it already has 4,000 expressions of interest in the upcoming Bentayga, despite it still being officially unseen.

Second, Bentley has use of Volkswagen’s->ke94 new MSB platform, which will underpin the new Continental GT Coupe->ke3108 and whatever results from the 2015 EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept. The adaptable architecture will allow engineers and designers to save costs on developing a stand-alone platform for a future small crossover.

Bentley’s SUV aspirations have realized plans for a $429 million (£280m) Research and Development center near its Pyms Lane headquarters. The new facility is expected to add some 300 new jobs, with the total number of jobs totaling 1,300.

Continue reading to learn more about Bentley's future SUVs.

Why it matters

I would say it’s crazy to see an automaker like Bentley get into the SUV market, but other automakers like Porsche,->ke1 BMW,->ke178 and Audi->ke14 have made exorbitant profits in the market. Bentley is only smart to enter the game. For Volkswagen’s high-profit, low-volume, high-luxury branch, the time seems right. After all, even the wealthy like to keep up with the Jones, regardless if the Jones make less money.

2016 Bentley Bentayga

Read our full review here.