Bugatti builds one-of-one W16 Mistral inspired by customer's literary work

The W16 Mistral 'Le Retour du Jeune Prince' was commissioned through Bugatti's Sur Mesure program. The customer, a discerning collector, met with Bugatti's Jascha Straub in October 2023 in Molsheim to discuss the creative direction. The concept was inspired by the customer's own literary work, a continuation of Saint-Exupéry's novel, with the moon, earth, and stars as central themes.

The design team created a dedicated colorway with copper and bronze hues and a warm metallic finish. The grille's internal lines follow the upward flow of the hood. The Bugatti Macaron on the grille is finished in gold, and copper brake calipers add continuity. On the rear wing, a constellation of silver stars is hand-applied, and a hidden composition of the prince and the fox appears when the air brake deploys. Inside, the cabin features Terre d'Or and Driftwood leather, with embroidered moon and star motifs, and a 3D-scanned silver rose in the gear shifter.