The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is already one of the most exclusive and impressive cars in the world, with a top speed of 273 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 2.3 seconds, and a price tag of $3.9 million. But for one Bugatti collector, that was not enough. He wanted to create a unique and personal homage to the brand's history and the technical marvel of the W16 engine, which powers the Chiron and its predecessors. The result is the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era. This one-off masterpiece took over two years to craft and features hand-drawn sketches of Bugatti icons on its exterior and interior.
A Vision of History
The project started as a vision from a customer who had a profound respect for Bugatti's legacy and the W16 engine, which debuted in 1998 with the EB110 Super Sport and has since evolved into a 1,600-horsepower beast that propels the Chiron Super Sport to record-breaking speeds. The customer wanted to celebrate the engine's 25th anniversary in 2023 with a special edition that would showcase the brand's achievements and milestones over the years.
To realize this vision, Bugatti's design team, led by former Design Director Achim Anscheidt, came up with a concept that would portray 45 hand-drawn sketches of cars, planes, symbols, and even buildings from Bugatti's past and present directly on the car's bodywork and leather upholstery. The sketches were done by pencil, using the same tools that designers use for sketching on paper, to achieve an authentic and artistic finish.
"It was very clear to us from the beginning that we can only achieve an authentic finish for these sketches – and at Bugatti, authenticity is paramount – if we actually used the pencils that we use for sketching on paper – anything else would result in something looking fake or low in quality," Anscheidt explained.
The design team divided the car into two sides, each representing a different facet of Bugatti's history. The passenger side highlights early cars, such as the Type 41 Royale, recognized as the pinnacle of luxury in 1926, and the Type 57 SC Atlantic, often celebrated as the pinnacle of automotive beauty. The driver side focuses on newer models, such as the EB110, the Veyron, and the La Voiture Noire. The sketches also include other elements that are significant to Bugatti's heritage, such as the Molsheim factory, the horseshoe grille, and the Macaron logo.
The sketches were applied on top of a stunning color scheme that blends Nocturne Black at the front with Doré (golden) at the rear, creating a striking contrast and a reference to the name "Golden Era." The color transition was done by hand using a special technique involving applying multiple paint and lacquer layers. The process took over 400 hours of work and required meticulous attention to detail.
A Work of Art
The hand-drawn sketches are not only visible on the exterior of the car but also on the interior. The door panels feature three sketches each of Bugatti models from different eras, with texts highlighting the years "1909 - 1956" and "1987 - 2023" on their respective door sills. The headrests are embroidered with "Golden Era," and a carbon fiber panel at the base of the control console bears the inscription "One-of-One." The interior also features premium materials such as black leather, carbon fiber, aluminum, and gold accents.
The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era is not only a work of art but also a work of engineering excellence. It shares the same mechanical specifications as the standard Chiron Super Sport, which means it has a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine that produces 1,600 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque. It also has a modified chassis, aerodynamics, suspension, brakes, tires, and transmission to cope with the extreme performance demands. The car can accelerate from 0 to 124 mph in just 5.8 seconds and from 0 to 186 mph in 12.1 seconds. It has a limited top speed of 273 mph (440 km/h), making it one of the fastest production cars ever made.
Bugatti will deliver the Chiron Super Sport Golden Era to its new owner during Monterey Car Week in August 2023. The car is a testament to Bugatti's craftsmanship, innovation, and passion for creating extraordinary vehicles that push the boundaries of design and performance.
"Sur Mesure literally translates as tailored… Each step, every decision, and – in the case of the Golden Era – every stroke of the pencil was completed with close oversight and input of the owner to exceed his expectations in a way that no other brand is able to do," said Bugatti Managing Director Hendrik Malinowski.
The Bugatti Chiron Super Sports Golden Era is a one-of-a-kind tribute to the W16 engine and the brand's history and a stunning example of how Bugatti can turn a customer's vision into reality. It is a car that will surely stand out among the other rare and exquisite machines that will gather at Monterey Car Week and that its owner will cherish for years to come.
