Mr Schreyer spent a decade with VW Group as head of Audi and head of Volkswagen design.

BBC: Hyundai and Kia appoint Schreyer to group design role

Mr Schreiber's suggestion that Volkswagen Group's plant in Bratislava might get the new Bentley is based on its proven ability to produce SUV models for other marques within the group, such as the Audi's Q7 and the Volkswagen Touareg.

BBC: Bentley considers assembling new model outside the UK

Their rival Audi, being part of the massive Volkswagen Group, already has access to the technology and platforms it needs to make profitable small cars.

ECONOMIST: The car industry

As the group recalibrates its sights on China, he simply is more valuable at Audi than he is at Bentley.

FORBES: Meet Wolfgang D��rheimer, Volkswagen's Rising Star

The benefits are mutual: a big reason's for Audi's high profitability is its ability to share technology and platforms with the bigger Volkswagen group, whose brands range from Porsche to Bentley to Skoda.

WSJ: Upstart Audi Pulls Up Alongside Luxury Kingpins