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This is our best look yet at the 1,500 hp Bugatti Chiron

Bugatti just teased the Chiron's premiere at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in March, but this new spy shot offers a fantastic look at the upcoming hypercar months before the debut. The company promises the upcoming model to be the "most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive production super sports car." The Chiron's design adds a few aesthetic sprinkles from the Vision Gran Turismo concept onto an evolved version of the Veyron's shape. The grille remains the brand's venerable horseshoe, but the narrow headlights squint to create an aggressive face. The hood now comes to a point at the front that sharpens the previous model's very smooth appearance. This photo also highlights the massive C-shaped intake along the side that allows the updated powertrain to gulp down cool air. While not visible here, a spy video showed a huge wing and diffuser at the rear. The Chiron appears to be a definite design improvement over the Veyron to our eyes. Bugatti's latest work will reportedly pack 1,500 horsepower from an updated version of the Veyron's 8.0-liter W16 with electric turbochargers. Additional carbon fiber will also likely lower the weight compared to its predecessor. Fewer pounds and more power will allow a bolt to 60 miles per hour in as little as 2.5 seconds and a top speed of around 288 mph. Related Video:

Bugatti La Voiture Noire is absolute elegance and the most expensive new car ever

Cars like these are why we love the Geneva Motor Show. Sure, only one lucky person will get to own this bespoke Bugatti, but man is it cool to know this is out there somewhere. It's called the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, which literally translates to, Bugatti The Black Car. A certain elegance is lost when we move to English, so let's just keep calling it La Voiture Noire. Bugatti built this one-off car as a tribute to the Type 57 SC Atlantic, of which four were built between 1936 and 1938. If you spend any time at the various concours d'elegance around the world, there's a chance you may have seen one before. Three of the four are known to still be around, and this new car pays homage to Jean Bugatti's black car specifically. Right off the bat, it's easy to see this car is based on the Chiron. Bugatti plopped the Chiron W16 engine in there with all four turbos attached. It makes the exact same power as the new French speed machine with 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque. The biggest difference that we can ascertain is in the number of tailpipes. A stunning six pipes poke out between winglets in the diffuser as a tribute to the Type 57 SC Atlantic, which also featured six. The visual difference here is in the piping size and placement — the original, thin pipes from the 1930s are far classier than the massive roundels fitted on La Voiture Noire. That said, this design is still unbelievably cool, and we applaud Bugatti for going for it. Bugatti didn't quote a top speed for this bespoke car, but we imagine it can't be too far off the mark from the Chiron with the amount of power it's packing. The only glimpse into the driving character comes in this statement: "This is a coupe with the comfort of a luxury limousine and the power of a hyper sports car." Maybe the individual who bought the car was looking for a faster and more comfortable way to get to their cottage on the weekend? We can only guess, as Bugatti hasn't revealed the buyer's name. But one guess is Dr. Ferdinand Piech, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche and ex-chairman of the Volkswagen Group. Design-wise, La Voiture Noire tries its best to take cues from the 57 SC Atlantic. You'll notice a less pronounced dorsal fin running from the front of the car all the way back in an effort to match. The windshield flows seamlessly into the windows and back to the sides like a visor on a helmet.

One-off Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era features hand-drawn sketches

Although the Bugatti Chiron is sold out, the French brand still has several examples left to build before it can close this chapter of its history. It unveiled a Chiron Super Sport that took two years to create and that stands out as one of the most difficult projects it has ever taken on. Called the Chiron Super Sport Golden Era, the big coupe was designed jointly by Bugatti and the anonymous collector who commissioned it — the buyer played a significant role in shaping this one-off. The customer wanted to celebrate the brand's history, so the design team that was led by Achim Anscheidt until he retired in July 2023 came up with a one-of-a-kind livery that consists of 45 sketches of cars, planes, symbols, and even buildings from Bugatti's past. There's a catch: every one of these sketches needed to be drawn on the car by hand. "The implementation may sound quite straight-forward, but achieving a perfect finish, and one that would last the test of time, took more patience and craftsmanship than you could ever imagine," Anscheidt explained. Designers assigned each side of the car its own facet of Bugatti's history. The passenger's side highlights early cars, like the Type 41 Royale and the Type 57 SC Atlantic. The driver's side focuses on newer models, including the EB110, the Veyron, and the one-off La Voiture Noire. With the layout finalized, Bugatti turned its attention to the color. Designers painted the front end in Nocturne Black, and this color fades into a shade of gold called Dore (which means "golden" in French). Then came the hard part: putting it all together. "It was very clear to us from the beginning that we can only achieve an authentic finish for these sketches – and at Bugatti authenticity is paramount – if we actually used the pencils that we use for sketching on paper – anything else would result in something looking fake or low in quality," Anscheidt said. All told, the drawing process took over 400 hours of work. The interior received a similar (but not quite as labor-intensive) treatment. The outline of three Bugatti models is painted directly onto each door panel, "Golden Era" is stitched onto each headrest, and a "One of One" logo appears on the center console. The era shown on each side of the car is written on the door sills to add a finishing touch to the look. Bugatti will deliver the Chiron Super Sport Golden Era to its new owner during Monterey Car Week. Related video: