Bentley Crewe

Bentley Crewe is a car factory in the town of Crewe, England, where luxury automobiles are assembled from pressed body panels through to final paint and trim. Several buildings house different stages of production, and machinery, conveyor lines and workshops occupy the manufacturing floors.

The government built this factory in 1938 to manufacture Rolls-Royce aero-engines and used it throughout World War II to supply Merlin units for military aircraft. After 1946 the plant shifted to building cars and gradually became the dedicated home for automotive production.

The production line combines traditional craftsmanship with modern machinery, and workers spend hours on each car, hand-stitching leather, shaping wood veneers and fitting components with precision tools. Guided tours let visitors watch artisans at their stations, where some finishing touches still rely on techniques passed down through decades of automobile making.

The factory offers occasional guided tours that walk visitors through assembly lines and show the main stages of production. Comfortable shoes are advisable because the route covers several work areas and can involve moderate walking.

The site maintains its own wood shop, where craftsmen cut and finish veneers from different timber species before they are fitted into car interiors. Some woods come from sustainable forestry sources, and selection follows strict criteria for grain and color matching.