When a brand as exclusive as Bugatti raises the bar, the result is something truly extraordinary. The French marque has launched Programme Solitaire, a bespoke creation venture that goes beyond its already bespoke Sur Mesure program.
While Sur Mesure allows owners to personalise existing models with colours, materials, and details, Programme Solitaire enables Bugatti’s most devoted collectors to collaborate directly with its designers and engineers to create a unique car from the ground up.
This is more than customisation; it is a revival of Bugatti’s early coachbuilding tradition, when Jean Bugatti brought the craft in-house to create legends like the Type 57 SC Atlantic.
The Story Behind The Name
The first commission under this program is the Bugatti Brouillard, a hypercar that combines engineering perfection with a deeply personal narrative. Its name, pronounced ‘Bruu-Yar,’ means “fog” or “mist” in French, and pays tribute to Ettore Bugatti’s favorite horse, a white-coated thoroughbred speckled like the morning haze.
More than a nameplate, the connection shapes the car’s aesthetic, with flowing, muscular bodywork designed to evoke the power and grace of a horse in motion. Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl describes it as enormous power and complexity, hidden beneath a veil of dignified simplicity, a philosophy visible in every curve.
Power and Performance: Typical Bugatti
Beneath its sculptural form lies the ultimate evolution of Bugatti’s legendary 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 engine, delivering 1,578hp to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The carbon fibre monocoque with aluminium substructures ensures rigidity and lightness, enabling acceleration from 0–100 km/h in under 2.5 seconds and a top speed in excess of 420 km/h.
The aerodynamics have been perfected for both function and aesthetics. Intakes feed radiators with optimised airflow, a fixed ducktail spoiler ensures stability at high speed, and an innovative diffuser design maximises efficiency while preserving the car’s elegant proportions.
Exterior Elegance with a Modern Edge
While the Brouillard draws inspiration from the open-top Mistral, it asserts its individuality through distinctive features. Horizontal LED light strips emphasise the width of the front end, framed by darkened bumper accents. At the rear, arrow-shaped LED taillights stretch across the body, with an illuminated “BUGATTI” wordmark at the centre.
The fixed glass roof floods the cabin with light and reveals the signature centre spine, a design cue running seamlessly from nose to tail. The body’s lower third is finished in darker tones to create a visually lower stance and make the wheels appear larger, while the upper surfaces flow uninterrupted to convey motion and speed.
An Interior of Haute Couture Craftsmanship
Inside, the Brouillard’s cabin is a celebration of artistry and innovation. Custom-woven tartan fabrics from Paris are paired with green-tinted carbon fibre and finely machined aluminium. The seats are moulded precisely to the owner’s body, finished with a unique leather patchwork, while horse motifs are embroidered into the door panels and seat backs as an intimate nod to the car’s namesake.
Even the gear shifter is a work of art, milled from a single block of aluminium and inlaid with a glass capsule containing a miniature sculpture of Brouillard the horse. The fixed glass roof enhances the sense of space, while the central spine continues seamlessly through the interior, linking it visually to the exterior.
The Collector and the Legacy
The commissioning client is a passionate Bugatti collector, not only of modern and historic cars but also of Carlo Bugatti’s furniture and Rembrandt Bugatti’s bronze sculptures. This creation brings together the entire Bugatti family’s legacy, from Ettore’s engineering vision to the artistry of his relatives. It stands as a rolling tribute to the founder’s love of horses and the elegance he pursued in every creation.
An Unrepeatable Creation
The Bugatti Brouillard made its public debut at Monterey Car Week. Under Programme Solitaire, no more than two commissions will be created each year, each using existing Bugatti powertrains and chassis but receiving entirely bespoke bodywork and interiors. The price remains undisclosed, but estimates suggest it will exceed $30 million.
