Bugatti Launches Solitaire Programme With One-Off Brouillard

Based on the Mistral roadster, the Broillard is a greatest hits album of the last decade of Bugatti design. The swept-back front end styling meets towering angular headlights, and the car appears to be split in two when viewed from the side. The narrow windows are framed by the falling roof, and rising character line. This pronounced pinch-point serves as the upper limit of the concave door, which blends smoothly into the exposed carbon fibre of the lower cladding.

Beyond the intakes, the bodywork flows outwards to gently trace a path around the elegantly flared wheel arches, which are filled with the horseshoe-spokes of the alloy wheels, and the bespoke Michelin tyres. The arches feature a subtle peak which seamlessly blends into the extended tail, and fixed rear spoiler. The double-arrow lights point towards the illuminated Bugatti wordmark, and sit above the twin-stacked exhaust pipes as seen on the Chiron Super Sport 300+.

Sitting above the bodywork like the propulsion unit housings of the USS Enterprise, the high-level intakes proudly display the configuration of the exposed engine: W16. One year on from everyone marking the final Chiron as the last W16-powered Bugatti, and months after production of the W16-powered Mistral commenced, we’re betting that the 1,578bhp/1,180lb-ft (1,600Nm) quad-turbocharged engine still has more chassis to call home. Other performance figures such as 0-62mph, top speed, maximum lateral G-forces, brake disc sizes aren’t quoted, but for a car like this, they’re arguably irrelevant.

Instead, the focus is on the craftsmanship, the custom-woven fabrics, tartan pattern on the steering wheel, machined aluminium components, and exposed carbon fibre all in shades of green. The door cards and backrests feature horse motifs, while the gear selector has a glass section containing a hand-made sculpture of the car’s namesake and Ettore Bugatti’s favourite horse: Brouillard. Horses aren’t the only four-legged animals to feature on the car, as an elephant is placed ahead of the side air intakes. This is a nod to King Carol II of Romania’s Bugatti Type 41 Royale, which has a prancing elephant serving as its bonnet mascot.

The car was commissioned by a collector of Bugatti automobiles, but also of the furniture designed by Ettore’s father Carlo, and the sculptures crafted by his brother Rembrandt. It’s a fitting way to launch the Solitaire programme, which will release no more than two cars per year. While clearly based on the Mistral, the elements of inspiration from the Chiron, Divo, Bollide, and La Voiture Noire have all been carefully considered, and given their own unique touches. The Brouillard looks familiar at first glance, but its intricate details shine under the microscope.