Bugatti has just unveiled the antidote to the barrage of weird EVs we’ve been confronted with in recent weeks. This is the Bugatti W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’ (The Return of the Young Prince), and not only is it stunning to look at, but this one-of-one roadster is blessed with the iconic W16 engine. A product of the brand’s Sur Mesure program, this decadent roadster features striking lunar themes, which were inspired by the customer’s very own literary work. Based on the way the car looks, the book must be a rather impressive read.
How This One-Off Came Together
Bugatti W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’ Bugatti
For Bugatti’s most valued clients, there’s almost no limit to what can be achieved when a one-off is conceived. After discussing themes with Jascha Straub, Manager of Sur Mesure and Individualization, the author decided the car would be a tribute to the world of his book, Le Retour du Jeune Prince, which itself was inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel. Imagery of the moon is a focal point in the book, which sees the Little Prince return to Earth as a teenager—this has been translated into the W16 Mistral’s design.
Bugatti W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’ Bugatti
A unique colorway in copper and bronze was created for the car, giving it a warm glow and highly metallic finish. This earth color scheme evokes the lunar light, and becomes all the more dramatic across the Bugatti’s many sculptural surfaces. The instantly recognizable horseshoe grille remains, but it has unique internal lines that follow the upward flow of the hood. There are smaller but no less impressive touches everywhere, from the constellation of silver stars in the paintwork to the outline of the Bugatti Macaron on the grille, which has a gold finish. The Copper hue also adorns the brake calipers.
The finished product is a work of art, made all the more memorable given its link to the author’s story.
Warm Colors Adorn Luxurious Cabin
Bugatti W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’ Bugatti
The “regular” W16 Mistral is already a work of art inside. Only the very best materials are used and there’s no distracting center screen; just an abundance of jewel-like controls and switches with a wonderfully tactile feel. For the W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’, two leather tones were used. These are the lighter Terre d’Or and the darker Driftwood; the two shades contrast beautifully. There are more star motifs to be found here, with these being stitched into the high-quality leather. In the gear shifter, there’s a silver rose that has been 3D-scanned from a real flower.
“The W16 Mistral ‘Le Retour du Jeune Prince’ is a beautiful example of what Sur Mesure can achieve when a customer’s personal story is placed at the heart of the creative process,” said Straub. “Working with the customer and our specialized CMF team in Berlin, led by Sabine Consolini, we were able to transform a literary tribute into a beautiful narrative canvas.”
Related: Bugatti May Be Building A Tourbillon-Bolide Mashup For One Very Lucky Buyer
W16 Engine Refuses To Die
Bugatti
Bugatti made no mention of the W16 in the press release, although it plays a rare supporting role here—this roadster is all about the story it tells through the bespoke design. Such cars are expected to spend a minimal percentage of their time on the road, but we hope this owner at least occasionally takes advantage of the 1,578-horsepower 8.0-liter quad-turbo engine. It has a top speed of around 260 mph, which should be enough to inspire at least three more books.
Each time we think we’ve seen the last of the W16, Bugatti comes roaring back with another car using the exotic powertrain. Of course, these are limited to one-offs like this Le Retour du Jeune Prince and the flowery W16 Mistral ‘Caroline’ introduced earlier this year. For most other Bugatti customers, a new V16 hybrid setup will take the place of the W16 in the upcoming Tourbillon. That car will produce 1,775 hp and once again place Bugatti at the very top of the gas-powered hypercar world.
