Bugatti has revealed the W16 Mistral ‘Fly Bug’ as the latest bespoke creation from the marque’s Sur Mesure (‘Made to Measure’) division. It is one of the final Bugattis to be powered by the legendary W16 engine that has powered the marque’s hypercars since the 2005 Veyron.
The Fly Bug is the fourth in a series of bespoke Bugattis commissioned by a single collector, each inspired by creatures from the natural world. It follows the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse ‘Hellbug’, the Chiron ‘Hellbee’ and the Divo ‘Lady Bug’. For the Mistral, the collector and Bugatti head of design Frank Heyl chose the dragonfly as their source of inspiration.
‘With the W16 Mistral ‘Fly Bug’, we have completed something that is genuinely rare: a collection of cars connected by a single creative vision,’ Heyl said. ‘Each commission has pushed our design team further, and this one is no exception.’
Finished in bespoke ‘Dragonfly Blue’, the car’s paintwork emulates the iridescent quality of the insect’s wings, shifting between blue and turquoise depending on the lighting and viewing angle. An ellipse pattern spreads across the exterior, increasing in density towards the rear of the car before fading into the air intakes, referencing the wing structure of a dragonfly. Another unique exterior touch is the Bugatti Macaron oval emblem, which is woven into the ellipse pattern on the car’s flank for the first time in the marque’s history.
Inside, the dragonfly theme continues with a leather-over-Alcantara material finishing the door panels and arm rests. Colour-matched to the exterior, the material creates a geometric pattern and marks the first time Bugatti has applied a graphic pattern to both surfaces. A ‘Dancing Elephant’ that references the sculptures of Rembrandt Bugatti is encased within the gear selector and serves as a final nod to the natural world.
The Fly Bug is one of only 99 Mistrals, all of which are already spoken for. It is powered by the 1600bhp W16 engine and dispatches 0-62mph in just 2.4 seconds. The Mistral is currently the world’s fastest open-top production car, with a top speed of 282mph.
