Bugatti W16 Mistral La Perle Rare Bespoke Masterpiece
The Bugatti W16 Mistral stands as an open-top masterpiece shaped by performance, artistry and heritage. It marks the ultimate chapter of the legendary W16 era. Bugatti’s Sur Mesure personalisation turns this extraordinary roadster into a canvas for precise, individual visions of automotive art. The W16 Mistral ‘La Perle Rare’ proves that philosophy. Bespoke craftsmanship transforms this W16-powered Bugatti hypercar into a deeply personal work of art.
The journey towards this individually tailored hypercar began in August 2023 on the lawns of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. There, Jascha Straub, Bugatti’s Manager of Sur Mesure and Individualisation, met the discerning client who would commission this singular design.
From the earliest discussions, shared ambition and a desire to curate the extraordinary shaped the creative process. The team celebrated the inherent elegance of the Bugatti W16 Mistral. They set out to enrich its character with a sculptural, flowing aesthetic that has become a signature for a select few mesmerising Bugatti models in recent years. Refined, harmonious lines guided the work from start to finish.
Straub and the Bugatti team immersed themselves in the client’s automotive dream throughout the project. They refined every detail continuously. They shaped the final Sur Mesure commission into a personal statement. The result pairs Bugatti's design expertise with the customer’s discerning taste.
Straub drew inspiration from Bugatti’s hand-painted ‘Vagues de Lumière’ paintwork. It pays homage to how the marque’s hypersports cars reflect light and harness the mesmerising power of Mother Nature. He shaped a central theme for the car around that idea. He created a pearlescent tribute to the elemental power and beauty of the W16 Mistral. ‘La Perle Rare’ took form through a two-tone composition. It creates a clear visual separation between the upper and lower sections of the car and echoes the interplay between ground and sky.
The team explored extensively to arrive at the final colour palette for such an intricate project. They moved on from a silver concept. They then shifted towards contrasting white tones as the creative conversation evolved. One tone carries warmth, and the other reads cooler, and both feature bright metallic flakes. The team refined, discussed, and refined again. That careful process led to two entirely new bespoke colours. A warm, gold-infused hue crowns the upper surfaces, while a refined warm white envelops the lower body.
The car’s identity centres on the signature white-and-gold dividing lines. The team achieved them through an exceptionally intricate process. Craftspeople applied taping and masking by hand. They then painted carefully across the bodywork. The team invested hundreds of hours to realise the design vision in a passion-fuelled process that reflects Bugatti craftsmanship from beginning to end.
Diamond-cut alloy wheels further enhance the exterior specification. A specially curated paint mixture finishes them and mirrors the interplay of gold and white across the bodywork. It completes a cohesive exterior that captures light from every angle.
The cabin continues the ode to elegance and honours the exterior design. The interior extends the same artistry with a coherent Sur Mesure approach. Bugatti painted all interior carbon components in white. The finish creates a concentrated, jewel-like cockpit that houses the precious aesthetic. The door panels feature alternating white and warm gold linework. The lines follow concave sculpted surfaces and emphasise the panels’ flowing geometry.
The design team explored warm ambient lighting to heighten the sense of reflection. The lighting subtly illuminates the panels and reinforces the luminous, pearl-inspired theme. Machined and polished aluminium trim elements echo the motif throughout the cabin. They run from steering wheel accents to centre console dials and door handles. Each crafted and finished surface captures light with the same refined brilliance that defines the exterior of this Bugatti hypercar.
The seamless dialogue between exterior and interior called for an equally personal artistic statement and unique appellation. The signature ‘La Perle Rare,’ rendered in Straub’s own handwriting, adorns the vehicle. It appears in stitched detailing along the central tunnel, in engravings on the bespoke white-and-gold engine cover, and as a painted signature beneath the rear wing.
Bugatti also honours its rich heritage through an emotive detail. Rembrandt Bugatti’s iconic Dancing Elephant sculpture appears in both the cockpit and exterior. The team immortalised it within the gear selector casing and on the body panels behind the front wheels. The connection unites contemporary individualisation with respect for design genius forged over a century. It blends personal vision with legacy, capturing the purest essence of Sur Mesure.
“This W16 Mistral ‘La Perle Rare’ is an extraordinary example of what becomes possible when a client’s imagination meets the full creative and technical capabilities of our Sur Mesure offering. From our very first meeting, this project was defined by a shared passion for elegance and precision. Working so closely with our valued customers allowed us to refine every line, every surface and every reflection, until the car became a truly unique expression of their vision. It is both an honour and a privilege to contribute my own design signature to a creation that celebrates Bugatti’s inimitable design style and rich heritage, while embodying the individuality that makes this Sur Mesure commission so special,” Jascha Straub, Manager of Sur Mesure and Individualisation at Bugatti.
