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. Premium and luxury car sales have been growing more broadly in key global markets like China and the United States as pandemic travel restrictions have left wealthy consumers with more disposable income. Bentley said sales last year rose 39 percent in the Americas and 40 percent in China, with those two markets between them accounting for nearly 60 percent of its total sales. “2021 was yet another year of unpredictability, though I am delighted to be able to confirm that we overcame significant headwinds, and deliver a breakthrough in our sales performance,” Bentley Chief …