At Bugatti, even exclusivity occasionally needs another layer of exclusivity. Enter the W16 Mistral ‘Fly Bug’, a one-off creation developed through the brand’s Sur Mesure customisation division for a long-time collector who clearly does not believe in subtle garage lineups.
The Fly Bug is part of a collection of four specially commissioned Bugattis inspired by nature. Earlier cars in the set included a Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, a Chiron and a Divo. This latest creation takes inspiration from a dragonfly, which explains the flowing detailing and the rather striking blue finish.
Called Dragonfly Blue, the paint shifts between blue and turquoise depending on the light, mimicking the insect's wings. Even the wheels are colour-matched, which sounds straightforward until you remember Bugatti engineers probably spent several meetings discussing the exact shade of turquoise.
The exterior also gets a new ellipse pattern running across the bodywork. It tightens towards the rear and blends into the darker air intakes, giving the car a more layered appearance without turning it into a rolling art installation. Which, admittedly, is a fine line at Bugatti.
Inside, things become even more detailed. The cabin features a layered combination of leather and Alcantara designed to create a subtle three-dimensional effect. The ellipse pattern continues onto the doors and armrests, and Bugatti says integrating it across different surfaces was particularly difficult from a manufacturing perspective.
Then there is the Bugatti Macaron badge, now embedded directly into the side graphic for the first time. Apparently, positioning it correctly required extreme precision, because even at this level, symmetry still matters.
The gear shifter also carries the famous Dancing Elephant motif, a reference to Rembrandt Bugatti and the company’s artistic heritage. Because when your car already has over 1,500bhp, the next logical step is apparently fine art.
Mechanically, the car remains based on the W16 Mistral, meaning it uses Bugatti’s quad turbocharged 8.0 litre W16 engine. Not that performance figures are really the point here. The Fly Bug exists to show just how far Bugatti’s customisation programme can stretch when cost, practicality and restraint leave the room.
