One of the most attention grabbing debuts at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show came from Bugatti in the form of the most expensive new car to date, the $18 million La Voiture Noire. The car celebrates a landmark model in the brand’s history, the famed 1936 Type 57SC Atlantic, specifically the fourth black model that went missing around 1940. The Type 57 is regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever made and its valuation often sky rockets north of $40 million, so it’s only fitting that its modern tribute would carry an equally absurd price.
The model itself is based off of the existing Chiron powertrain, using the quad-turbo 8.0 liter W16 engine for around 1500hp, partnered with AWD. The La Voiture Noire has no intention of being a display of technology, it’s all about drama and elegance in automotive form. A callback to the coach-built cars of the 20’s and 30’s, which were often regarded as mobile sculptures. If coach builders were still a big part of the industry today, this is the level of detail and exclusivity that we’d hope for.
It’s a shame only one exists, as those of us who did not attend the Geneva show will never get the opportunity to see it in person and get lost in all of the fine details. Anyone who’s seen one of the few Type 57SC Atlantics will be able to pick out the retro inspired design elements; the defined center line running through the entire car, the six exhaust pipes, the pronounced rear wheel arches, and the covered sloped rear end. The entire stance of the car also remains long, low and wide, giving it an incredible presence even while standing still at the Bugatti exhibit.
Geneva has shown us many one-off super cars like the Aventador J and the Koenigsegg Agera S Hundra, but this Bugatti has my vote as the most striking and memorable in recent years. Everything about is irrational, the size, the power, the cost, but at this level, none of that matters. It exists purely to be a reminder of how beautiful and special the automobile can be when limits are disregarded and passion for design and craftsmanship are held as the top priority.
