Bentley Cruised to Record Year in 2021 With Luxury Cars in High Demand

The sign of the luxury car maker Bentley is pictured outside a garage in Tunbridge Wells, south-east of London, on Nov. 6, 2020. Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

LONDON—Luxury British carmaker Bentley cruised to a record year in 2021 as global sales jumped 31 percent amid strong demand for high-end vehicles, the Volkswagen AG unit said on Thursday.

Bentley said its sales rose to 14,659 units from 11,206 in 2020, which was also a record year despite shutdowns caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.