Bugatti La Voiture Noire Scoops Design Award At Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este

The stunning Bugatti La Voiture Noire was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show this year as part of the brand’s 110th anniversary celebrations. This one-off design pays homage to one of the most legendary Bugattis of them all, the Type 57SC Atlantic. While the custom coachwork may evoke memories of Bugatti’s illustrious past, the La Voiture Noire’s underpinnings are based on the very latest Chiron hypercar. That means a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 powertrain pushing out 1479hp and 1180lb-ft of torque sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Assuming that its overall weight and aerodynamics are similar to the donor car, it should deliver similar performance figures to the Chiron, which means 0-60mph in around 2.4 seconds and a top speed in excess of 260mph, but for now it is still in development with a projected completion date two-and-a-half years away. The prototype that attended the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este event was actually powered by a small electric motor, which allows it to be manoeuvred around at far gentler speeds. That didn’t prevent the La Voiture Noire from clinching the Design Award at the prestigious event (presented to Bugatti Automobiles president Stephan Winkelmann, below), making the brand’s 110th anniversary that bit more special.

Despite its incomplete status, the La Voiture Noire has apparently already been sold for approximately $18.6 million,. Rumors abound as to who the actual owner is but nothing official has been announced yet. Let’s hope that when this unique creation is finally delivered it continues to grace future concours d’elegance events instead of being hidden away in a private collection.

Images courtesy of Bugatti