2027 Bentley Flying Spur: 500kW S, From $508,000 AU

Bentley's Flying Spur Gets Its Most Significant Update in Years

The Bentley Flying Spur has received a refresh that goes deeper than the usual mid-cycle update. Design changes inside and out include a headline-grabbing switch to single headlight units, the return of the sporty S variant, and a new Virtuoso Collection personalisation tier from Mulliner.

Bentley Australia has confirmed the updated Flying Spur is available to order now, priced from $508,000 excluding options, stamp duty, and local charges. Production commences in the UK in September 2026.

At that price, the Flying Spur is not a car that competes on value. It competes on craftsmanship, exclusivity, and the depth of available personalisation. On all three counts, the 2027 update raises the standard.

Single Headlights: A Break From 62 Years of Bentley Tradition

The most visually striking change to the 2027 Flying Spur is its headlight design. The new model uses a single headlight unit on each side, marking the first time a Bentley sedan has not featured double lamps since 1962. That is a genuinely significant stylistic break for a brand that trades heavily on heritage.

The decision aligns the Flying Spur more closely with the design of the Continental GT, which underwent a similar facelift and now serves as the design reference for Bentley's broader range. The result is a cleaner, more contemporary face that reads as luxury rather than old-school opulence.

The headlights on the Flying Spur S feature Bentley's 'Precision' detailing, a design element currently shared only with the flagship Speed variant. That detail alone signals the S's position at the top of the non-Speed lineup.

The Flying Spur S Returns: 500kW From a Hybrid V8

The reintroduction of the Flying Spur S is the performance story of this update. The S uses a 500kW, 930Nm version of Bentley's High Performance Hybrid powertrain, built around a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 plug-in hybrid system.

That is 95kW more power than the outgoing Flying Spur's comparable output. The same PHEV architecture is shared with the Continental GT Speed and, in a slightly different tune, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.

Bentley quotes a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds for the Flying Spur S, on the way to a top speed of 307km/h. The performance chassis incorporates a variable all-wheel drive system, twin-valve adaptive dampers, torque vectoring, and a 48V active anti-roll system.

For a vehicle weighing more than 2,400kg in production trim, those numbers are absurd in the best possible way.

Flying Spur S Standard Equipment: Blackline Throughout

The S variant comes with Blackline Specification as standard. That means gloss black exterior accents replace chrome, black mirror caps, tinted matrix LED headlights, and tinted LED tail lights. The result is a sinister, low-key appearance that contrasts sharply with the overt chrome of the standard Flying Spur.

Blue-tinted day-running lights and unique interior appointments further distinguish the S from the rest of the range. The S is available in five seat configurations, each requiring 12 hours of craftsmanship per Bentley's claim, with fluted or quilted inserts available for the seat surfaces.

For Australian buyers, the S effectively represents the sweet spot of the Flying Spur range. The Speed sits above it at a higher price point, while the base Flying Spur offers the same mechanical refinement with less visual drama.

The Virtuoso Collection: Mulliner's New Personalisation Tier

The Mulliner coachbuilding division has introduced a new bespoke tier called the Virtuoso Collection, tied to the optional Naim for Mulliner audio system. The Virtuoso Collection offers three themes, Soprano, Tenor, and Bass, ranging from light, minimal interiors to darker, more dramatic specifications.

The Naim for Mulliner audio system features 21 speakers with patented 'M' cones in the mid-range and tweeters. Bentley describes it as the brand's most immersive audio experience. In the UK, the system adds £25,000 (approximately $47,390 AUD) to the list price before taxes.

All three Virtuoso Collection themes feature Champagne Gold detailing throughout the interior and exterior, including winged badges, exhaust finishers, and a Champagne Gold-edged key fob. Whether that is understated or ostentatious depends entirely on your definition of luxury, which is exactly the kind of line that Bentley has always walked.

New Paint: Dark Teal Joins the Palette

Bentley has added a new exterior colour, Dark Teal, described as a mid-blue metallic with hints of green. The company calls it contemporary and nature-inspired, which reads as luxury marketing language for a colour that should photograph well against both urban and countryside backdrops.

For a brand where personalisation is a major part of the ownership proposition, a new paint option matters more than it might on a mass-market vehicle. Flying Spur buyers typically spend a meaningful amount above the base price on Mulliner personalisation options, and a new colour expands the possibilities.

Australian Pricing and Context

At $508,000 before options and government charges, the 2027 Flying Spur sits in a rarified segment where transaction volumes are small and brand prestige is the primary purchase driver. The equivalent Rolls-Royce Ghost starts at approximately $540,000 in Australia, while the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class sits at around $380,000.

The Flying Spur occupies the middle ground between four-door uber-luxury sedans. It is faster and more driver-focused than the Ghost or Maybach while remaining unmistakably Bentley in character.

Luxury Car Tax applies to all three. For buyers using a vehicle for business purposes, the FBT implications on a $508,000 car are substantial, and the Flying Spur is unlikely to be positioned as a novated lease vehicle. These are primarily private purchases or corporate flagships.

Production Timeline and Delivery Expectations

Production begins in Crewe, England in September 2026. For Australian buyers ordering now, expect a delivery window of six to twelve months depending on specification complexity. Heavily personalised Mulliner vehicles, particularly those with the Virtuoso Collection, are likely to take longer given the hand-crafting time involved.

Carseekers covers the full spectrum of the new-car market in Australia, from the most affordable city hatchbacks to vehicles like the Flying Spur. For buyers researching ultra-luxury options, the 2027 model represents a meaningful step forward from the outgoing car, particularly in the S variant.

For everyone else, the Flying Spur is a useful reference point for where automotive craftsmanship and electrification are heading at the absolute top of the market. A 500kW plug-in hybrid four-door sedan from a heritage British brand, built around shared Volkswagen Group architecture, is the kind of product that shows how widely electric drivetrain technology has now spread.

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