Leave it to Bentley to turn the Continental GT S into a rolling couture collection: the inaugural Bespoke Series dresses just 100 cars in jewel-box paint, hand-picked materials, and runway-worthy flourish

BY ERIK SCHONING

The most eye-popping runway debut of 2027 comes not out of Paris or Milan, but of northern England, where the dynamos at Bentley’s design and manufacturing headquarters are scheming up the all-new Bespoke Series. Inspired by luxury fashion houses and the cadence of seasonal releases, the Bespoke Series is slated to be Bentley’s annual design showcase, an opportunity to play with color, materiality, and form. The 2027 Continental GT S is the first-ever release in the series, limited to 100 numbered examples worldwide.

The brainchild of Bentley’s Mulliner division, the brand’s in-house bespoke and coachbuilding department – for Bond fans, Bentley’s equivalent of the high-tech gadget wizardry of Q – the Bespoke Series highlights depth of craftsmanship at every stage of the process, from initial sketches at the Bentley Design Studio to assembly and manufacturing at Bentley’s Dream Studio in Crewe.

The Bespoke Series is available in six colorways, five created specifically for this release, and each was chosen for the story it tells. The Salerno Blue colorway draws inspiration from the Italian coast, while Manuka Orange is a nod to the rich hues of manuka honey. Spectral Verdant pays tribute to British racing green, while Snow Quartz cites Norway’s snowy mountains as a muse.

Each colorway is a masterclass in paintwork; Bright Ruby Pearlescent, an intoxicating red, uses Bentley’s first-ever tinted three-layer paint system, overlaying a deep base coat with vibrant red layers for a jeweled luster. All models feature a central painted stripe in Beluga and Pearl that runs the length of the car.

Inside each Bespoke 2027 release, the Mulliner team hand-selected dark contrasting accent tones that play off the exterior. (The fashion comparisons aren’t made lightly: every aesthetic decision was made with the kind of diligence that can only rival haute couture.) Echoes of the exterior color appear on headrests, seat piping, the steering wheel, and gear lever. Every car in the release comes equipped with black-painted 22″ sports wheels with Mulliner self-leveling wheel badges for extra flair. Gloss black mirror caps and a black grille and air intakes (a nod to the S model’s Blackline specification) complete the sleek contrasting effects.

Color may be the star here, but it’s in the details that the series really earns its pedigree. In a subtle touch, a lamp projects an animated welcome onto the ground whenever a door is opened. A bespoke perforation pattern adorns the seats and doors. The fascia and treadplates feature individual vehicle numbering. And, of course, all these details build on top of the high-performance base of the Continental GT S.

Bentley Paramus — bentleyparamus.com