At the Art Basel Miami, Bentley unveiled a unique, one-of-one, bespoke Flying Spur Hybrid curated by ‘The Surgeon’. It was unveiled after the launch of the limited edition line of Bentley-inspired sneakers from Dominic Ciambrone, also known as The Surgeon, renowned in the customized shoe industry.
During the week of Art Basel, Miami becomes a haven for design lovers as it hosts 20 international art fairs, more than 1,200 galleries, and thousands of artists in attendance. With this in mind, it is the perfect venue to showcase the artisanal artwork of Mulliner, Bentley’s in-house personal commissioning division. Three unique vehicles that celebrates the power of individuality, artistic expression, and unmatched craftsmanship, headed by the Flying Spur Hybrid by The Surgeon.
Inspiration for Flying Spur Hybrid x The Surgeon
A leader in the customized shoe industry, The Surgeon is known for effortlessly bringing together high fashion and street culture. In early 2022, he visited Bentley’s Mulliner division which inspired him to create a limited run of ten pairs of bespoke sneakers which features Bentley craft signatures like diamond quilting and cross stitching, as well as his signature ‘Surgeon’ skill and scalpel monogram.
The sneakers blossomed into a second collaboration which was based on Bentley’s recently-acclaimed Flying Spur Hybrid. Its elegant lines and handcrafted interior made it the perfect canvas for The Surgeon’s creativity. Matched with the combination of a 2.9-liter V6 combustion engine and E-motor, showcasing Bentley’s next goal in their Beyond100 journey towards a future of electrified luxury.
The Mulliner Blackline specification upgrades the exterior polished chrome with an all-black brightware. A front splitter, rear diffuser, side sills, and boot lip spoiler in carbon fiber are added in the Styling Specification.
Gloss, Satin, and Bronze
The Flying Spur Hybrid x The Surgeon uses a striking exterior palette in a dramatic but coordinated combination which is in line with his own brand aesthetic. Ciambrone picked a two-tone paint finish of Antracite over Anthracite Satin, creating a subtle expression of power and assurance. The monochromatic palette is broken by the light use of Satin Bronze strategically placed on the lower front, side, and rear bumper. There is also bespoke Satin Bronze pinstripe on the outer rim. They used the same finish for the Surgeon badges on the D pillars and the Hybrid badge on the fender. An illuminated Flying B radiator mascot in Gloss Black provides the finishing touch.
Design and Craft in Harmony
Inside the cabin of the Flying Spur HYbrid X The Surgeon is a world of individuality and creativity. The outer sill panel reads ‘The Surgeon’ and a matching inner sill plate shows his personal philosophy “Never Stop’. Another interesting detail is the bespoke LED welcome lamps that projects the skull and crossed scalpel logo on the ground for easier ingress.
Upholstery in the cabin features Linen as the main upholstery on the seats, doors, and lower fascia. A secondary upholstery features the Beluga color which can be seen on the fascia top, rear parcel shelf, and center through-console. The seats and seat piping feature a contrast stitching in Bronze and the namestyle ‘Surgeon’ is also embroidered in Bronze, with the headrests sporting a blind embroidered Surgeon logo, while a cross-stitch pattern can be seen on the steering wheel.
Walnut veneer can also be seen in the cabin. Claimbrone showcased Mulliner’s craftsmanship by specifying contrasting finishes. The upper veneer is open pore Crown Cut Walnut giving it a tactile satin finish. High Gloss Crown Cut Walnut is meanwhile used in the lower veneer and it features a laser-engraved motif of the skull and crossed scalpel logo. Separating the two veneers is a Gloss White pinstripe that runs across the fascia from door to door as well as across upper vanes of the bullseye air vents. Walnut inserts in ‘three dimensional’ diamond pattern are also featured on the rear doors.
Grand Black gloss veneer covers the front and rear center consoles, and overlaid in chrome on the rear cupholder is another Surgeon logo. Bringing together the interior and exterior design is the Bronze Satin that can be seen on the B+O speaker cones, and a bespoke shade of matching Bronze hide was placed at the six o’clock tab on the steering wheel and the gearlever cover.
The Bentley rotating display in the center of the fascia has three choices of faces namely analogue dials, walnut veneer, or digital display. When displaying walnut veneer, the namestyle ‘Surgeon’ is visible in gold overlay. Additional tactile and visual interest is given by the unique knurled finish on the controls and touchpoints.
Three Automotive Artworks
The unveiling of the exceptional Flying Spur Hybrid brought the evening’s celebration of the art of bespoke automotive creation at Art Basel Miami to a close. Beside the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid x The Surgeon are also two very different but similarly vibrant commissions, each with their own unique intentions.
The Sager Strong Continental GT Speed Convertible was inspired by Hall of Famer and sartorial iconoclast Craig Sager. More specifically, the jacket that Saget wore when he accepted his Jimmy V Perseverance Award back in 2016. It will be auctioned in February 2023, with the proceeds donated to the fight against blood cancer. On the other hand, a famous Brazilian-born artist and current Miami resident Romero Britto inspired the Continental GT V8 Convertible, as it captures his colorful philosophy and celebrates his pop art success.
