Bugatti has taken another bold step in its century-long pursuit of artistic automotive excellence with the unveiling of Programme Solitaire, a new initiative devoted entirely to the creation of truly bespoke, one-of-one vehicles. Introduced during Monterey Car Week, the programme’s inaugural commission, Brouillard, is a coachbuilt coupé that not only celebrates the marque’s rich heritage but also elevates craftsmanship and personalisation to an unprecedented level.
Rooted in the spirit of early coachbuilding and inspired by the profound artistry that has defined Bugatti since its earliest days, Programme Solitaire goes beyond the brand’s already highly tailored Sur Mesure offering. It draws inspiration from the early 20th-century tradition of creating unique automotive bodies through close collaboration between car manufacturers and coachbuilders. In Bugatti’s case, Jean Bugatti famously brought that expertise in-house, producing legendary designs such as the Type 57 SC Atlantic and its siblings—the Galibier, Stelvio, Ventoux, and Atalante—built on the Type 57 chassis.
The Brouillard represents the modern evolution of that legacy, built upon Bugatti’s most advanced engineering: the final and most potent version of the marque’s W16-powered platform. With a staggering output of 1,600PS from its quad-turbocharged engine, this creation embodies two decades of refined engineering excellence and signals the zenith of the W16 era.
The design of the Brouillard is guided by principles borrowed from classical sculpture, where balance, proportion and contrast shape visual harmony. The lower third of the vehicle is rendered in darker hues to ground the car visually, while the upper sections are finished in lighter tones, enhancing the impression of length and lightness. This visual play also serves to enlarge the perceived size of the wheels and lower the car’s profile, resulting in an appearance that is simultaneously athletic and graceful.
Aerodynamics are seamlessly woven into the aesthetic, with sculpted bodywork housing functional elements such as integrated air intakes and a rear diffuser optimised through clever exhaust packaging. A fixed ducktail wing ensures aerodynamic balance while subtly enhancing the vehicle’s silhouette. Every element of the Brouillard’s form serves a purpose—refined performance coupled with elegant design.
Inside, the Brouillard is a celebration of artisanal luxury, blending traditional materials with cutting-edge innovation. The cabin features custom-woven tartan fabrics sourced from Paris, while green-tinted carbon fibre provides a contemporary counterpoint to the warm textures of hand-finished materials. An abundance of machined aluminium components adds visual depth and tactile sophistication. The glass roof, with its soaring cathedral-like effect, allows the central spine of the vehicle to remain visible from the outside through a transparent overhead panel, uniting exterior and interior in a continuous visual line.
A devotion to detail defines the cabin experience. Embroidered horse motifs adorn the door panels and seat backs, echoing the car’s equine inspiration. The seats themselves have been sculpted to the exact specifications of the commissioning owner and finished with a unique arrangement of leather patches. One of the cabin’s centrepieces is the gear shifter, machined from a single block of aluminium and inlaid with a miniature sculpture of Brouillard—Ettore Bugatti’s favourite horse—for whom this car is named. The sculpture is enclosed in a glass insert, exemplifying the meticulous artistry of the brand’s craftsmen.
The story of Brouillard is deeply personal, reflecting the passion of the commissioning collector—a long-standing Bugatti aficionado with a reverence not only for Bugatti’s automotive masterpieces, but also for the broader creative legacy of the Bugatti family. His appreciation extends to the furniture designs of Carlo Bugatti and the bronze sculptures of Rembrandt Bugatti. This commission was conceived as a tribute to the spirit of Ettore Bugatti, a man whose love for horses directly informed his automotive philosophy. In honouring Ettore’s most cherished steed, a majestic white horse speckled like morning mist and known for its intelligence and grace, this modern coachbuilt coupé becomes a symbol of the brand’s foundational values: speed, beauty, and unrestrained elegance.
With Programme Solitaire, Bugatti embarks on a new chapter in personalisation. Only two vehicles will be produced annually under this programme, each benefiting from the undivided attention of Bugatti’s design, engineering, and materials teams. While the powertrains and chassis will continue to be sourced from existing Bugatti platforms, as seen in the Brouillard’s use of the 1,600 PS W16 and accompanying carbon-fibre-aluminium architecture, each Solitaire model will feature completely bespoke bodywork and interiors tailored to the individual desires of its commissioner.
Through Programme Solitaire, Bugatti returns to its coachbuilding roots while redefining the limits of modern luxury craftsmanship. The Brouillard stands not only as the first realisation of this vision, but as a monument to the enduring artistic legacy of the Bugatti name.
