Bentley shows all-electric Torcal and glow-in-the-dark Flying Spur art car in New York gallery debut
Bentley brought its first fully electric model and a phosphorescent Flying Spur art car together for a one-night Manhattan gallery show.
- 14 October 2026
- 13 October 2026
- white, blue, green and purple
- five
What Happened
Bentley Motors illuminated Manhattan on the evening of 13 October 2026, presenting the all-new Bentley Torcal alongside the Flying Spur Art Car by Death Spray Custom at CART Department in New York City. The one-night gallery, staged in the West Village in partnership with cultural platform CART Department, connected the two cars through light as a source of design inspiration. One represents Bentley's first fully electric model; the other is Death Spray Custom's graphic reinterpretation of the Flying Spur. Together, they placed Bentley's electric future in direct conversation with contemporary art.
Global debut in London
US debut in Los Angeles
First New York appearance at CART Department, as a Torcal S First Edition in Sequin Blue
The Torcal is designed, engineered, and hand-crafted at Bentley's headquarters in Crewe, England, and represents the brand's newest model line and its first fully electric production vehicle. It carries forward the Bentley Diamond, a design signature featured since the 1920s from wire mesh grilles to diamond-stitched seats. On the Torcal, that heritage is reinterpreted as an illuminated diamond grille.
Sharing the gallery floor was the Flying Spur Art Car, making its US debut after being transformed by British artist David Gwyther, widely known as Death Spray. Gwyther built his international reputation applying graphics to moving objects — racing helmets and suits, motorcycles, bicycles, and automotive liveries including five of Ken Block's Gymkhana vehicles and the bespoke livery for the Supersports: FULL SEND car.
For the Flying Spur, Gwyther used phosphorescent paint technology: over a base coat of deep black, intricate hand-applied masking defined the car's graphic architecture before a bespoke formulation blending white, blue, green, and purple glow-in-the-dark pigments was layered across the bodywork. The finish gives the sedan a dual identity — a high-contrast graphic exterior by day and a luminescent canvas at night — drawing on organic patterns in nature that oscillate between camouflage and radiant display. Guests watched Gwyther work live throughout the evening, completing artwork in real time.
“The all-new Torcal represents a transformative design chapter for Bentley as our first fully electric car, where light becomes an essential sculptural medium. Rather than simply serving a functional purpose, illumination is woven directly into the architecture and surfaces of the car, defining its form and signalling modern technology while staying true to our sculptural heritage. It allowed us to explore how light itself can express a progressive, radiant vision of Bentley luxury.”
“Working with Bentley - from the FULL SEND car to this Flying Spur - has always been about meeting Crewe's extradordinary craftsmanship with something raw and immediate. That tactile feeling of a Bentley interior, where the knurling and stitching keep you connected to the handmade process, directly influenced how I approached the car's surfaces. For the Flying Spur, light became the defining material. Layering glow-in-the-dark phosphorescent paint over stenciled speed forms creates a dual identity: sharp contrast in daylight, followed by a striking 'night mode' in darkness that turns illumination itself into the graphic statement.”
Previously from Bentley Motors Ltd.
Bentley has been rolling out news around the Torcal, its first fully electric model and fourth model line, in the weeks before this New York gallery debut. The company said it would create more than 90 early career opportunities for 2027 as it invests in skills and talent following the Torcal reveal, and it signed Oscar-winning actor and producer Michelle Yeoh as a global brand ambassador weeks after unveiling the model.
- Bentley names Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh as global brand ambassador
- Bentley to create over 90 early career roles as Torcal expands its model lineup
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Bentley Motors Ltd.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The event marks the Torcal's first appearance in New York, giving US audiences their first look at the brand's first fully electric production vehicle. It also pairs that electric future with contemporary art, signaling how Bentley wants its design and technology story told outside traditional auto shows.
Terms in This Story
- Torcal
- Bentley's newest model line and its first fully electric production vehicle.
- Torcal S First Edition
- The specific Torcal variant shown in New York, finished in Sequin Blue.
- Bentley Diamond
- A Bentley design signature used since the 1920s, seen in wire mesh grilles and diamond-stitched seats.
- phosphorescent paint
- Paint containing pigments that absorb light and then glow in the dark.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.