Renowned French luxury automaker Bugatti is taking bold steps toward electrification under the helm of Croatian technology company Rimac. While an all-electric Bugatti supercar is undoubtedly coming, the W16 engine that motivated the Veyron and Chiron to multiple speed records has two more duties before retiring with the highest honors.
First is the Mistral, the last W16-powered Bugatti supercar with an open-top body, radical styling, an 8.0-liter W16 quad-turbocharged engine, and a $5 million price tag. Boasting the same 1,578 horsepower as the record-setting Chiron Super Sport 300+, only 99 Mistrals will leave the Molsheim factory, and all could reach a 260 mph top speed.
Highlighting Bugatti’s Golden Eras
Next comes the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era, a one-off rendition of the Chiron Super Sport that made quite an impression at the 2023 Monterey Car Week. We’ve all seen airbrushed murals on custom choppers and fancy rides, but the folks at Bugatti took it to another level with the Golden Era.
The Golden Era is a Chiron Super Sport with a long-tail carbon fiber rear end and a bespoke paint job. But what stands out are the intricate, hand-laid sketches on the car’s exterior and cabin. Bugatti claims it’s the “most challenging bespoke project” the automaker has done throughout its history. The project took two years and over 400 man-hours to complete.
“Golden Era is probably the most demanding piece of tailored personalization work that my team and I have ever worked on,” said Achim Anscheidt, former Bugatti Design Director. “Our team proposed a concept featuring 45 sketches of the brand’s icons that would be hand-drawn directly onto the car itself, and the owner immediately fell in love with the idea.”
Everything Bespoke
The one-off Golden Era starts with a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, a roadgoing version of the supercar that broke the production speed record by reaching a 304.773 mph top speed. Bugatti gave it a two-tone Nocturne Black paint on the front that transitions to a custom-made Doré gold hue towards the rear, serving as the ideal canvas for the hand-drawn sketches on each side of the vehicle.
On the left are 19 sketches depicting Bugatti’s modern age, starting from the Romano Artioli era to the acquisition by the Volkswagen Group in the late ’90s. Legendary cars like the Bugatti EB110, Veyron, Chiron, and the mythical La Voiture Noire appear with Chiron-based derivatives like the Centodieci, Divo, and Bolide. Of course, the W16 engine is there, too.
Meanwhile, the right side has 26 sketches that depict vintage Bugattis, including aircraft, trains, and two of the most desirable retro Bugattis ever made: the Type 41 Royale and Type 57 SC Atlantic. Moreover, the signatures of Ettore and Jean Bugatti adorn the passenger side of the car. More fascinating is how the artwork spreads from the black front end to the golden rear end, a remarkable custom job.
“Each step, every decision, and – in the case of the Golden Era – every stroke of the pencil was completed with the close oversight and input of the owner to exceed his expectations in a way that no other brand can do,” said Hendrik Malinowski, Bugatti Managing Director.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era Interior
The Golden Era theme continues inside with three iconic Bugatti cars emblazoned on the driver and passenger door panels. The former has the EB110, Veyron, and Chiron, while the latter features the Bugatti Type 35, Type 57 SC Atlantic, and the Type 41 Royale.
In addition, there’s a One-of-One badge on the center console, Golden Era stitching on the seat headrests, and custom-made door sills with “1987-2023” on the driver’s side and “1901-1956” on the passenger side, periods that mark Bugatti’s golden eras.
Huge Numbers
Powering the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era is a 1,578-horsepower quad-turbo W16 engine, enabling a zero to 60 mph run in under 2.5 seconds and a 273 mph (440 kph) top speed. Moreover, it revs to 7,100 rpm, unbelievable for a stout W16 powerhouse.
Bugatti has not revealed the price for all this wonderment. Considering a standard Chiron Super Sport carries a sub-$4-million base price, the Golden Era would cost significantly more with its 400-hour hand-drawn custom murals. And since it’s a one-off creation, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era is one of those rare supercars that will appreciate over time.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
