Bugatti’s La Voiture Noire may have been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, but the real thing won’t be done for another two years.
A few weeks ago, Bugatti revealed the most expensive new car ever made, the La Voiture Noire. Inspired by the Type 57 SC Atlantic, it was essentially a highly customized Chiron with a revised 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel-drive system that is more geared toward languid grand touring that extreme performance.
The Chiron normally sells for around $3 million, but the extensive modifications done to the body, chassis, and drivetrain meant that La Voiture Noire cost an astounding $12.5 million, going up to $19 million when you consider European luxury taxes.
Assembled journalists at Geneva were duly impressed at the unveiling, but something seemed a little odd. A video surfaced not too long after the auto show wrapped up showing La Voiture Noire silently driving away at very low speeds. Not a single tiny rumble from the car’s W16 engine could be heard, and for good reason: it didn’t have one.
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Wondering what was up with that, Carscoops went to Bugatti and asked what was the deal. They were then told that what was displayed at Geneva was actually just a mockup and that the real car wouldn’t be done for another two years at least.
“It’s not the final car. We only started working on the project half a year ago, when the customer agreed to our project proposal, we started building it. The car will be delivered only in two to two and a half years”, said Tim Bravo, Bugatti’s Head of Communications. He later admitted that “the car in Geneva also didn’t have an interior design yet.”
So no interior and no 8.0-L quad-turbo W16 engine. Not exactly worth the $12.5 million price tag that Bugatti presented it with.
But never fear--a few Genevas from now, Bugatti will surely cart out the real thing and try to impress us all once again with their distinctive engine rumble. From 6 exhaust pipes, it will surely sound amazing once it’s actually done.