Adrian Hallmark doesn’t have the same public profile as our previous Last Blast guests, sir Chris Hoy and Andy Wallace, but he’s just as fascinating to listen to.
After all, this is a man who has held very senior positions at Porsche GB, Volkswagen, Jaguar Land Rover and Bentley (where he’s currently Chairman and CEO), and who was instrumental in creating the 968 Clubsport, taking Bentley back to Le Mans and launching the Continental GT.
As a lifelong Le Mans fanatic, it must have been the greatest privilege to guide Bentley back to Circuit de la Sarthe in 2001 – the Crewe marque being one of the 24-hour race’s most storied competitors. In his Last Blast podcast with Andrew Frankel, Hallmark describes his passion for Porsche and Le Mans, explains what it was like to relaunch Bentley under Volkswagen and tells us why his hero is Derek Bell.
He also talks about the challenges that lie ahead as the automotive industry charges headlong into the electric era. Can a Bentley, so often powered by eight or 12 cylinders, by engines with character and breeding, feel like a Bentley when driven by electric motors? Hallmark certainly thinks so.
In this episode you will also learn about Hallmark’s motocross background, about his brief stint at the revived Spyker-era Saab and, of course, where, with whom and in what he would choose to go for his final ever drive.
Last Blast podcasts are reserved for Ti subscribers. You can listen to the episode here.
