(New York) Bentley Motors illuminated Manhattan on the evening of October 13, presenting the all-new Bentley Torcal alongside the Flying Spur Art Car by Death Spray Custom at CART Department in New York City.
In partnership with CART Department, Bentley staged a one-night gallery experience in the West Village, bringing together two distinct expressions united by a shared exploration of technology and light. The Torcal, the marque’s first fully electric model line, appeared beside a graphic reinterpretation of the Flying Spur Art Car, placing Bentley’s electric future in direct conversation with contemporary art.
Following its global debut in London and its US debut in Los Angeles, the all-new Torcal made its first appearance in New York City as a Torcal S First Edition finished in Sequin Blue. The model is designed, engineered and hand-crafted at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, England, and becomes the marque’s first fully electric production vehicle. Just British covered the Torcal’s unveiling in our report on its global debut.
Bentley’s Diamond signature has adorned the marque’s vehicles since the 1920s, and the Torcal’s illuminated diamond grille reinterprets that century of craftsmanship as a radiant emblem of the brand’s future.
Alongside it, the Flying Spur Art Car made its US debut, transformed by British artist David Gwyther, widely known as Death Spray.
“The all-new Torcal represents a transformative design chapter for Bentley as our first fully electric car, where light becomes an essential sculptural medium,” said Robin Page, Director of Design at Bentley Motors. “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.”
Craftsmanship Meets Contemporary Art
A self-taught artist whose practice treats surfaces as a medium and speed as a subject, Gwyther draws inspiration from vintage motorsport, transforming racing helmets, suits, motorcycles and bicycles into objects that communicate velocity and identity. He has designed liveries for five of Ken Block’s Gymkhana vehicles and created the bespoke livery for the celebrated Supersports: FULL SEND car.
For the Flying Spur Art Car, Gwyther used phosphorescent paint over a deep black base, applying layers of masking by hand before adding white, blue, green and purple glow pigments. The result is an activated dual identity: an arresting, high-contrast graphic exterior by day and a luminescent canvas that radiates in the dark by night. The car’s organic patterns exist somewhere between camouflage and radiant display, shifting character with the light.
At the gallery, guests witnessed Gwyther working live throughout the evening, completing artwork in real time.
Working with Bentley, from the FULL SEND car to this Flying Spur, has always been about meeting Crewe’s craftsmanship with something raw and immediate, Gwyther said. The tactile feel of a Bentley interior, where the knurling and stitching keep you connected to the handmade process, directly influenced how he approached the car’s surfaces. For the Flying Spur, he added, light became the defining material: glow-in-the-dark phosphorescent paint layered 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.
The Automobile as a Cultural Canvas
The one-night exhibit transformed CART Department into a forum where design and art met. The evening featured a conversation with Gwyther, Larry Warsh, founder of CART Department, and pop culture critic Carlo McCormick, exploring light as a shared medium and the automobile as a cultural canvas.
At CART Department, Warsh said, the automobile is seen as more than a means of transport: it is an expression of design, identity and culture. Presenting the Torcal alongside Death Spray Custom’s Flying Spur Art Car brought that perspective to life, connecting Bentley’s electric future with an artist’s reinterpretation of its craftsmanship, with their shared exploration of light creating a compelling dialogue between automotive design and contemporary art.
Source: Bentley Motors press release, October 14, 2026.
Abby is Just British's site assistant. She was last seen idling at a hill climb, smelling faintly of hot oil and Earl Grey. Her sources are impeccable. Her origins are classified.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Be the first to comment