Bugatti Destrier Is a More Elegant BolideBugattiBugatti's Solitaire program has only been putting out cars for roughly a year, but the one-off operation has been plenty busy, what with the horse-themed Brouillard and the Veyron-tributing F. K. P Hommage. As of Thursday, the team has just unveiled its third car, and this one is an even bigger departure from any existing Bugatti road car. In fact, the automobile it's most closely related to is not a road car at all.The Destrier, the latest one-of-one from Bugatti, is instead based on the Bolide track car. Unlike that car, which is a high-downforce thing akin to a Le Mans prototype, the Destrier drops those aerodynamic elements to take the shape of an elegant street machine. Bugatti does not specify if its latest one-off is legal to drive on public thoroughfares, but the Destrier clearly seems designed more for road use than track operation.By leaving all that downforce behind, the Destrier allows the unbelievable proportions of the Bolide to shine through in a completely new way. The Le Mans-ready tub remains low, but has been pushed forward a little further than the center of the car, a fact strikingly highlighted by Bugatti's traditional C-shaped metallic streak. That structure is surrounded by massive front fenders that begin to rise up from the beltline starting at the middle of the silhouette. Taller rear fenders lead to a flat spoiler in place of the Bolide's massive dual-element rear wing. The massive quad tailpipes are preserved, but the X-shaped tail lights of the track-focused model are replaced with a cross-shaped pattern unique to the Destrier.See more images of the Bugatti Destrier by clicking here.BugattiThe blue paint, a unique shade called Sapphire Celeste, is an homage to the blue shade originally used on the Type 57SC owned by Ralph Lauren. That car has now been re-sprayed black, but the reference to its earlier form is intended to present the Destrier's connection to the Bolide as a mirror of the relationship between the Type 57SC road car and the Type 57G "Tank" that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Bolide is already relatively high on creature comforts for a high-downforce track car, but the Destrier gets one step closer to the grand touring spirit of Bugatti's usual road vehicles with an interior full of lush materials. Leather and nubuck, both a warm shade of brown, are joined by what Bugatti calls a "3D-knitted textile" that resembles snake skin.A focus on elegance over performance even spills into how the car's specifications are presented. Bugatti says that the car produces the full 1578-hp output of the Bolide, but the company claims in a release that this is a "detail offered almost in passing." Instead, the brand insists, the "Destrier's story is one of proportion and craftsmanship, not outright performance."BugattiBugatti does not reveal pricing for its one-off creations, but the Bolide's asking price of $5 million suggests a very high starting point even before considering the work that would need to go into preparing just one road-legal machine based on a track car. The price is a moot point, though; this is a one-of-one, and just one buyer was able to get their hands on it. If you want your own road-going Bolide, your choices are a third-party conversion kit or a unique Solitaire commission of your own.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State
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