The story of the Bugatti W16 Mistral ‘La Perle Rare’ is a study in how heritage and individual vision can converge to create a singular piece of automotive history. As the final chapter of the legendary W16 era, this open-top roadster serves as a final, profound expression of a power unit that defined a generation of performance. Through Bugatti’s Sur Mesure program, the vehicle transitioned from a technical masterpiece into a canvas for a specific, personal narrative.
The project originated in August 2023 on the lawns of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was there that Jascha Straub, Bugatti’s Manager of Sur Mesure and Individualization, first met the client who would commission this design. The ensuing creative process was defined by a shared ambition to celebrate the inherent elegance of the W16 Mistral through a sculptural, flowing aesthetic. Throughout the development, the team at Bugatti worked to ensure that every detail was refined to complement the customer’s discerning taste, resulting in an automotive masterpiece shaped by mutual expertise.
The central theme of ‘La Perle Rare’ is rooted in a pearlescent tribute to elemental power. Drawing inspiration from Bugatti’s ‘Vagues de Lumière’ paintwork—a style that pays homage to how light reflects off the body of a hyper sports car—the design team settled on a two-tone composition. This layout creates a visual separation between the upper and lower sections of the car, echoing the natural interplay between the ground and the sky.
Developing the final color palette required extensive exploration. While the project began with a silver concept, the direction eventually shifted toward varying white tones enriched with bright metallic flakes. This evolution led to the creation of two entirely new bespoke colors: a warm, gold-infused hue for the upper surfaces and a refined warm white for the lower body. The signature white and gold dividing lines that define the car's identity were achieved through hundreds of hours of hand-applied taping, masking, and painting. This meticulous process extended to the diamond-cut alloy wheels, which feature a specially curated paint mixture to mirror the bodywork.
Inside the cabin, the ode to elegance continues with a concentrated, jewel-like cockpit. All interior carbon components are painted white, maintaining the precious aesthetic established by the exterior. The door panels are adorned with alternating white and warm gold linework that follows the concave geometry of the surfaces. To further enhance the sense of reflection, the team integrated warm ambient lighting and utilized machined, polished aluminum for the steering wheel accents, center console dials, and door handles.
The vehicle is marked by deeply personal artistic statements. The name ‘La Perle Rare’ is rendered in Jascha Straub’s own handwriting and can be found stitched along the central tunnel, engraved on the bespoke white-and-gold engine cover, and painted beneath the rear wing. This individualization is balanced by a nod to the past; Rembrandt Bugatti’s iconic Dancing Elephant sculpture is immortalized within the gear selector casing and on the body panels behind the front wheels. It is a harmonious blend of a century of design legacy and a modern, personal vision.
