BENTLEY Motors’ £40 million headquarters expansion and research and development centre are still on track despite Volkswagen slumping to its first net loss in 15 years.

The German car manufacturer, which owns Bentley Motors, posted a pre-tax loss of €2.5bn for the third quarter of the year, ending September 30.

And Volkswagen warned full year operating profit would fall ‘significantly’ due to anticipated costs related to the diesel emissions scandal.

A Bentley spokesperson said the British firm will be impacted by the loss, though it is unclear how at this early stage.

The spokesman said: “As an important part of the Volkswagen Group, all group decisions have an impact on Bentley, directly or indirectly.

“Our priority remains the same, the continued success and robustness of our business.

“We will continue to launch new products and invest in manufacturing facilities, enabling us to push forward as a business and secure our long-term growth.”

Bentley says the proposed research and development centre would house 1,300 Bentley engineers and create more than 300 new jobs.

In 2013 the luxury car manufacturer announced that it is committed to an £800 million investment in Crewe over three years in product and facility development.

However, this sum may take a hit following the current fortunes of Volkswagen.

The German car manufacturer held back €6.7 billion in September after it emerged it had installed software in 11 million diesel vehicles that enabled them to cheat emissions tests.

Volkswagen subsequently recorded a pre-tax loss of €2.5bn in the third quarter of the year.

Following the news, Matthias Mueller, Volkswagen chief executive and chairman of the board of management, promised the firm will ‘emerge from the current situation stronger than before’.

“The figures show the core strength of the Volkswagen Group on the one hand, while on the other the initial impact of the current situation is becoming clear,” he said in Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

“We will do everything in our power to win back the trust we have lost.”

Bentley also announced on Tuesday that it has recalled 27,640 cars worldwide because of potentially faulty battery cable connections.

The models affected were all Continental GT/GTC/Flying Spur and new Flying Spur cars built between February 2011 and June 2014, a Bentley spokesman said.

The number of recalled vehicles included 5,906 cars in China, the brand's second-biggest market after the Americas.