In the two decades-plus since the finalized version of the Bugatti Veyron debuted in 2005, the quad-turbo W16 that powered it has remained peerless through several special editions and duty in the Chiron, where it made the French hypercar the first production automobile to break the 300-mph barrier.
In 2022, Bugatti announced that the W16’s swan song was the Mistral, a $5 million topless roadster replete with nods to Bugatti’s rich heritage, including a wrapped windshield à la the 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid and a “dancing elephant”-adorned shifter.
The new Bugatti W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel from the Sur Mesure customization division, in its own way, serves as an ultimate tribute to the Bugatti W16’s eternal legacy by focusing on an otherwise forgotten Veyron special edition named L’Or Blanc, a pottery-inspired interpretation of the Veyron Grand Sport created in partnership with historied German porcelain maker Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin. The Veyron not only mimicked the white lines and continuous royal-blue strokes of a vase designed for KPM by the celebrated Italian designer Enzo Mari, it actually featured specially fired porcelain inlays on the wheel badges, fuel filler cap, and the “EB” badge at the rear.
Similarly, KPM provided porcelain punctuations for the W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel inside and out, including the EB emblem, the fuel and oil caps, the speaker cover plate, two kneepad inlays, gearshifter, center-console armrest inlay, and the window-lifter buttons. The grandest porcelain element, though, might be the two inlays incorporated into the engine cover, which features KPM’s royal scepter logo.
Embedding porcelain into a finely engineered automotive form—which, unlike the Veyron L’Or Blanc, was created digitally using a network of precisely controlled surfaces called NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines)—presents challenges that can only be overcome by the type of expansive experience and knowledge offered by KPM. Porcelain contracts slightly upon being fired in a kiln, meaning its dimensions after curing differ by 17% from those of the original unfired component. Therefore, engineers had to anticipate the shrinkage during the modeling and development process.
Before anyone sees the porcelain components, their gaze will be drawn first to the body, which features a pure white base coat accented by flowing black lines created with precisely applied tape. After being carefully positioned by hand, the lengths of tape were removed to expose the intended design, and the resulting channels were sprayed in black. This interplay of black and white is designed to direct the eye across the W16 Mistral’s signature features, from its reimagined horseshoe grille and sculpted front profile to the rising C-line, dramatic air intakes, and fantastic X-shaped taillight arrangement.
Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl, who helped hand-paint the L’Or Blanc years ago, reflected on both one-of-one hypercars: “The W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel is exceptionally beautiful because every line and every material has a purpose. Our ambition for this unique commission saw us dive deeply into the essence of the Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc and write its next chapter through the entirely digital design language of the W16 Mistral. Bringing the car to life required an intricate collaboration between our Bugatti design team in Berlin and the experts and leadership at KPM. Blanc Éternel respects Bugatti’s history without being constrained by it, fusing our heritage with individual taste in a way that feels wholly new. That is the beauty of Sur Mesure, in creating something authentic and timeless that could belong to no one else.”
To commemorate the renewed partnership, KPM and Bugatti have also created a limited-edition Blanc Éternel porcelain collection featuring KPM’s iconic Aviator Cup and To-Drive travel cup in two sizes. While prices weren’t listed, the collection is limited to 1,000 handmade pieces—head to KPM’s website for more on the dishware.
As for the car, its destiny is uncertain. The Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc hasn’t been seen since it was reportedly sold to a private buyer shortly after its 2011 unveiling, so don’t be surprised if the W16 Mistral Blanc Éternel becomes a secret crown jewel of a collection that may never emerge on the aftermarket.