Bugatti has taken the wraps off its latest stealth-like creation - a one-of-a-kind hypercar that will cost the owner a whopping €11 million, around NZ$18 million.
It's called the La Voiture Noire and is being touted by the slick French vehicle maker as the world's most expensive new car - but it is already sold.
The all-black motor combines the thunderous performance of Bugatti's existing Chiron hypercar with the styling of the brand's legendary 1936 Type 57 AC Atlantic. The result is one of the most jaw-dropping creations on four wheels ever seen.
La Voiture Noire - which translates to 'The Black Car' - has been built for one seriously wealthy Bugatti customer only, but also to celebrate the manufacturer's 110-year history.
The svelte bodywork has been hand-crafted from carbon fibre, with micro-perforations punctured into the engine cover to ensure enough heat can be shifted away from the powerhouse motor parked in the middle of the chassis.
The engine is the same eight-litre quad-turbo W16 that powers the current Chiron with almost mirrored outputs. Power and torque figures are 1,100kW and 1,600Nm, with drive sent via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system.
Bugatti says it won't be a like-for-like performance match for the Chiron, though.
But that's not to say it'll be slow. Bear in mind the sister hypercar can hit 100km/h from a standing start in just 2.4 seconds and is limited to 420km/h.
In terms of styling features, Bugatti says the extended nose section and distinctive C-pillars have been transferred over from the Type 57 classic. Also mirrored is the dorsal fin on the 1938 model. The design team has replicated this with a single trim piece that runs almost from the tip of the grille, over the bonnet and part of the windscreen, cleverly incorporating the window wiper.
It goes on to split the roof and engine bay before tapering at the rear spoiler.
Round the back, the one-of-a-kind hypercar has a colossal rear diffuser, a single-strip brake light and six exhausts outlets.
"Every single component has been handcrafted and the carbon fibre body has a deep black gloss only interrupted by the ultrafine fibre structure. This is a material that has been handled perfectly," explained Bugatti designer Etienne Salomé.
"We worked long and hard on this design until was nothing that we could improve. For us, the coupé represents the perfect form with a perfect finish."
Stephan Winkelmann, president at Bugatti, described the machine as "a feast of aesthetics".
"This is not only an engine but the heart of the vehicle and a technical masterpiece," he added.
"There is no other car in the world with such an engine. It is not only extremely powerful but also beautiful to look at."
And it's not just achingly pretty and staggeringly fast - it should also be more comfortable than ever.
Bugatti has reworked La Voiture Noire’s chassis from the Chiron and dialled it into a comfy grand tourer rather than an ultra-stiff race car with indicators.
That means the suspension should have more forgiving dampers and the steering more electronically assisted than the heavy set-up in the Chiron.
This isn't the first time Bugatti has modified its hypercar into a limited-run model.
Last year it introduced the $4.3 million Divo - another Chiron special with a lowered top speed of 380km/h with just 40 being produced.
Full details, including acceleration times and top speeds, will be revealed at a later date.
- Daily Mail
