A Bugatti Built From Memory

The script on the rear wing is painted by hand. It reads 'Fly Bug', a small, personal detail on a car defined by overwhelming force. This is the latest commission to emerge from Bugatti’s Sur Mesure program, a one-of-one W16 Mistral that goes far beyond a simple choice of color and trim.

The project began as a close collaboration between a long-time Bugatti collector and the design team in Molsheim. The goal was not to create something entirely new, but to interpret something old. Specifically, to build a modern roadster that carries the spirit of the owner’s personal Type 51, a historic racing car also nicknamed 'Fly Bug'.

That process of translation starts with the finish. The new roadster is painted in a specific shade of blue, developed to echo the original Type 51. Even the horseshoe grille, usually finished in chrome or black, is painted in the same blue, creating a solid, uninterrupted frontal graphic.

A Modern Interpretation

The historical references are applied with precision. Beyond the hand-painted script on the top surface of the rear wing, another detail is hidden on its underside. A sketch of the Type 51 is painted there, visible only when the wing is raised.

This kind of personalization is the purpose of the Sur Mesure program. It moves beyond configuration into co-creation, allowing a client’s story to become part of the car’s physical structure. It is a dialogue between a brand’s history and a collector’s own past.

An Interior Dialogue

Inside, the theme continues. The cabin is trimmed in a warm 'Gaucho' leather. The 'Fly Bug' script appears again, this time embroidered into the headrests. A more intricate reference is stitched into the leather door panels, where the outline of the Type 51 is rendered in thread.

Perhaps the most significant detail sits between the seats. The gear selector is machined from a solid block of aluminum, but features a wood insert and a small amber accent. Encased within the amber is a miniature sculpture of the dancing elephant, the famous hood ornament created by Rembrandt Bugatti, Ettore’s brother. The same motif is embroidered below the 'Fly Bug' script on the headrests.

These are not just choices from a list of options. They are narrative elements, each one connecting the engineering of a modern roadster to a story that began nearly a century ago. The car becomes more than a machine. It becomes an artifact, a piece of rolling history shaped by a single owner's memory.

Read more about cars here.