Volkswagen's Bentley posts 2014 record sales on China rebound

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bentley Motors said on Wednesday sales of its ultra-luxury cars rose to another record last year, powered by rebounding demand in China.

The Volkswagen-owned British brand delivered 11,020 saloons, coupes and convertibles in 2014, 9 percent more than the previous record of 10,120 cars set in 2013, Bentley said.

Sales in China, Bentley's No. 2 market, jumped 22 percent to 2,670 cars, after shrinking 2.8 percent a year earlier, the Crewe, England-based manufacturer said.

Bentley may be able "to maintain this significant period of success" as it will expand into luxury sport-utility vehicles in 2016, Chief Executive Wolfgang Duerheimer said in a statement.

The 96 year-old brand is diversifying its model line-up and plans to decide on a fifth model line by the autumn, the CEO told Reuters last October.

Sales in the Americas, Bentley's biggest market, edged up 1.5 percent to 3,186 cars while European deliveries gained 4 percent to 1,539 models.

(Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Christoph Steitz)