Bugatti La Voiture Noire, Once the World’s Most Expensive Car, Now For Sale
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show back in March 2019 as part of Bugatti's 110th anniversary celebration, La Voiture Noire quickly made a name for itself as the most expensive production automobile in the world at the time. The single unit sold for nearly $25 million CAD including all applicable charges and tax. It was finally delivered in the summer of 2021.
The owner’s identity has never been revealed, triggering much speculation, and it will most certainly remain this way since that mysterious individual has just decided to part with the car barely four years after taking possession.
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SBX Cars, known to many car enthusiasts all over the globe through Australian presenter and blogger Supercar Blondie, has been put in charge of the sale, which is being held with the utmost discretion and reserved for a very select group of potential buyers. As such, it will be impossible to know the selling price this time.
“Let us facilitate your next acquisition in the most private and discreet manner possible,” the company’s website says. “With personalized negotiations, pre-qualified bidders, and discreet auctions, this is the ultimate destination for discerning collectors seeking unparalleled automotive masterpieces. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this elite circle—register today!”
What is La Voiture Noire?
Based on the Chiron, the one-of-one French masterpiece went through the same tests and quality checks, from the labs to the track. The big difference is that Bugatti invested more than 65,000 engineering hours into the project to make it completely unique.
The inspiration for the design came from the Type 57 SC Atlantic, only four of which were built in the 1930s. Jean Bugatti, son of founder Ettore Bugatti, drove one and gave it the nickname “La Voiture Noire.” It mysteriously disappeared before World War II and hasn’t been found since.
All the carbon fibre body panels are new and the wheelbase is 25 cm longer than the Chiron’s. The grille was 3D-printed, and since the La Voiture Noire was designed more as a grand touring coupe than a sports car, styling is cleaner with no rear wing.
The signature carbon black finish “generates virtually no reflections, but plenty of tension and drama," Bugatti touted. While there are no full shots of the interior, we know that the seats are appointed in Havana Brown leather to create a vintage look.
As for the engine, we're talking about the quad-turbocharged W16 that produces 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque, exhales through six tailpipes, accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 420 km/h.
Brouillard, the Next Chapter
Bugatti is far from done with modern coachbuilding and one-off creations. Its latest, called Brouillard, debuted earlier this summer as the first car from the new Solitaire program, described as “an exclusive offering dedicated to the creation of truly unique, bespoke, one-off vehicles that celebrate the brand’s rich heritage while pushing the boundaries of customization and craftsmanship.”
The Solitaire program plans to launch two one-offs per year, each one based on the same W16 platform as the Brouillard and the Chiron.
