SUVs to rule luxury market by 2020

SUVs will replace limousines as the luxury car of choice by the end of the decade.

That's the belief of Bentley product planning chief, Paul Jones, who says SUVs like the British brand's upcoming Bentayga will replace traditional sedans for the majority of luxury buyers.

Although SUV sales are booming around the world, at the top end of the market the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce continue to offer sedan-heavy model ranges.

But both British luxury brands will add SUVs in the next few years, while Maserati will launch the Levante in 2015 and Aston Martin is tipped to offer a production version of its DBX crossover concept.

Jones believes by 2020 SUVs will overtake sedans in the luxury car market, just like they have at the more affordable end of the car industry.

"If you look at the growth, SUVs are forecast to grow by something like 20 per cent over the next five years when you look at the [luxury] market," Jones told Drive. "We've seen that, in every sector of every market."

He believes that, despite the traditional preference for limousines, luxury buyers are being drawn to SUVs for the same reason most other buyers are. But the emergence of new markets for luxury brands is also playing a major role.

"Why are all sectors drawn to SUV? It's probably the same [reasons]," he said. "People like the command driving position, I think there is a particular opportunity for us in markets that are opening up where the road infrastructure isn't as good out of the cities.

"One of the great successes of the Continental and the Flying Spur is the all-wheel drive, people like the sure-footedness and the security of it. Not for going off-road but just in the slippery conditions."

The Bentayga is due to be unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show in September before going on sale in February 2016.