The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is one of the most exclusive and rare hypercars in the world. Only one example of the La Voiture Noire was ever built, making it an incredibly scarce and coveted vehicle.
Quick Facts
- Only 1 Bugatti La Voiture Noire was produced
- It was unveiled in 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show
- The one-off La Voiture Noire was sold for €16.7 million euros (around $19 million)
- The buyer remains anonymous but is rumored to be Ferdinand Piech, former chairman of the Volkswagen Group
- It is based on the Bugatti Chiron chassis and drivetrain
- Power comes from an 8.0L quad-turbo W16 engine with 1500hp
- The exterior design pays homage to the legendary Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
- The interior upholstery is made from high-quality leather
The Bugatti La Voiture Noire
The La Voiture Noire, which translates from French to “The Black Car”, is a one-off hypercar commissioned by Bugatti and unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It was built to celebrate Bugatti’s 110th anniversary and pays tribute to the iconic Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic coupe designed by Jean Bugatti in the 1930s.
Only four Type 57SC Atlantics were produced between 1936-1938, and they have become some of the most coveted and valuable cars in the world. Drawing inspiration from the Atlantic’s distinctive design, the La Voiture Noire features similar exotic proportions and elegant coachbuilt bodywork.
Bugatti aimed to create a modern reimagining of the Atlantic, bringing its spirit into the 21st century by basing the new car on their cutting-edge Chiron platform. Powering the La Voiture Noire is Chiron’s 8.0L quad-turbocharged W16 engine producing an incredible 1500hp and 1600Nm of torque, making it one of the most powerful road cars ever.
Exterior and Interior Design
The handcrafted carbon fiber bodywork of the La Voiture Noire is graceful and athletic, with sweeping curves and aggressive air intakes. The dorsal seam running from front to rear pays respect to the spine-like rivet of the Type 57SC Atlantic. At the rear, six exhaust tailpipes emerge from underneath the bumper.
Inside the cabin, the interior is upholstered in high-quality black leather and suede. The minimalist dashboard is suede-wrapped and features digital displays and toggle switches. Passengers sit low in the chassis for an intimate driving experience, with all controls angled towards the driver.
The La Voiture Noire exemplifies Bugatti’s expertise in coachbuilding and their ability to blend vintage inspiration with cutting-edge engineering and design. Every surface and component is crafted from premium materials, resulting in an art piece intended for the world’s most discerning collectors.
€16.7 Million Price Tag
When it was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show, the one-off La Voiture Noire had an astonishing listed price of €16.7 million euros, or around $19 million dollars. The car was sold to an unknown buyer before the show, cementing its status as the most expensive new car ever sold.
The exorbitant price dwarfs even Bugatti’s own Chiron, which has a base price of €2.5 million euros. But for the ultra wealthy individual who commissioned the La Voiture Noire, the price reflects the car’s uniqueness and the pinnacle of automotive engineering and design it represents.
All proceeds from the one-off model go directly to Volkswagen Group funds. While the price may seem outrageous, the new owner is essentially buying a piece of automotive history that pays tribute to Bugatti legends of the past.
The Exclusive Bugatti Clientele
The anonymous buyer of the one-off La Voiture Noire joins an elite club of Bugatti owners. The brand’s exclusive hypercars command prices starting from around €2 million and are purchased only by a wealthy clientele.
It is rumored that Ferdinand Piech, former chairman of the Volkswagen Group which owns Bugatti, is the individual who acquired the La Voiture Noire. Other Bugatti owners include soccer stars, celebrities, entrepreneurs and collectors from around the world.
Owning a Bugatti puts drivers in rare company. Excluding one-offs like the La Voiture Noire, Bugatti has sold around 500 examples of the Veyron and its successor, the Chiron. Deliveries of the recently revealed Centodieci limited edition are soon to start, adding just 10 cars to the total Bugatti fleet.
For these elite buyers, the extreme performance, craftsmanship and exclusivity justify the multi-million price tags. And the La Voiture Noire stands in a league of its own as the pinnacle of Bugatti’s offerings.
The Only One in the World
As a one-of-one car built specially for its mystery buyer, the La Voiture Noire is totally unique in the world. The exclusivity and rarity inherent in being the sole example gives it tremendous value as an automotive art piece.
Bugatti has no plans to replicate the La Voiture Noire or offer it to other clients. The brand emphasizes how its coachbuilding abilities allowed them to create this bespoke vision without compromising their underlying engineering principles.
Of course, coachbuilt one-offs have been part of Bugatti’s heritage since Ettore Bugatti himself produced personal vehicles for royalty, celebrities and race car drivers in the early 20th century.
But even among coachbuilt Bugattis, the La Voiture Noire stands above the rest as a 21st century interpretation of the Atlantic crafted for a mysterious but immensely wealthy individual. There will never be another new vehicle like it.
For collectors and enthusiasts, knowing there is just one example adds to the mythos and desirability of the La Voiture Noire. Its uniqueness will no doubt make it even more prized over time.
The Legacy of the La Voiture Noire
As the sole example of its kind ever to be produced, the La Voiture Noire secures its place in Bugatti’s legacy. It represents the ultimate expression of the brand’s coachbuilding heritage and engineering prowess forged into a new 21st century icon.
By paying tribute to the legendary Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, the La Voiture Noire has already joined the ranks of the automaker’s most celebrated models. Its connection to icons like the Atlantic gives it historical significance despite its modern underpinnings.
Additionally, its title as the most expensive new car ever sold also brings Bugatti headlines and adds to its reputation as the pinnacle of luxury hypercar manufacturers.
Even if it remains out of the public eye, the La Voiture Noire will upheld as a monumental achievement for Bugatti. The one-off showcases their unlimited potential to create exclusive automotive art pieces tailored precisely to a customer’s wishes.
A Claim to Automotive Immortality
The Bugatti La Voiture Noire’s extraordinary price, exclusivity and connection to icons like the Atlantic have already sealed its status as one of the automaker’s – and indeed the entire auto industry’s – most important creations.
Its place among the list of seminal Bugattis like the Type 35, Type 41 Royale, and Type 55 seems assured despite its brief existence. Just as those models each represent a different facet of Ettore Bugatti’s vision in their era, the La Voiture Noire encapsulates Bugatti’s heritage reimagined for today.
Barring any unforeseen events, the singular La Voiture Noire has claimed its spot among the rare Bugattis that will long outlive their original owners. For as long as collectors and enthusiasts admire early Bugattis, they will regard the La Voiture Noire as the brand’s 21st century contribution to automotive immortality.
Conclusion
The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is confirmed to be a one-of-a-kind hypercar without any identical examples. Its status as the sole La Voiture Noire ever built makes it hugely valuable, both monetarily and as an historically significant automobile.
From its coachbuilt Chiron underpinnings to its immense quad-turbo W16 engine, the La Voiture Noire represents the pinnacle of Bugatti’s capabilities. And by reviving the spirit of the legendary Type 57SC Atlantic, it connects Bugatti’s rich history to its present.
The anonymous buyer spent €16.7 million euros to acquire the ultimate bespoke creation from Bugatti. For that astronomical price, they received a new automotive art piece with claims to immortality among rare Bugattis.
The one-off La Voiture Noire secures its reputation as a 21st century icon thanks to its connection to the past, its staggering performance combined with coachbuilt elegance, and the distinction of being the sole example in existence. For all these reasons, it takes its rightful place among the most important and valuable Bugattis ever produced.
