Surprise! This is the one-off, 1,578bhp Bugatti Brouillard

Ettore Bugatti was way ahead of the assisted driving game. The Franco-Italian maestro’s beloved horse, named ‘Brouillard’, could open its own stable door. Imagine! Fast, too. Just like the car that takes its name: welcome the one-off, coach-built Bugatti Brouillard.

Bugatti hasn’t said if its latest creation can open its own stable door, but has confirmed it contains many, many horses. One thousand, five hundred and seventy eight of them, courtesy of the “pinnacle of the W16-powered platform”.

‘But wait,’ you cry, ‘hasn’t Bugatti sold every W16-engined car?’ Yes, it has. Brouillard marks the beginning of what Bugatti is calling its ‘Solitaire’ programme, which takes existing client cars and outfits them with completely bespoke, hand-crafted suits. Just like ye good olde days, when the Type 57 chassis morphed into the Galibier, Stelvio, Ventoux and Atalante variants.

And this one’s got some suit. Definite shades of the Divo and La Voiture Noire about the Brouillard’s face, detailing and shape, sculpted of course by aerodynamics. And a little madness.

Those gaping air intakes aren’t just there to add menace, they send huge masses of air into the car for better airflow and to better cool the W16’s radiators. Remember, this 8.0-litre leviathan has ten of them because it generates immense amounts of heat. More air = cooler engine = happy Bugatti.

The flanks mirror the Divo – especially with those side blades behind the front wing – while at the rear you’ll spot a fixed ducktail rear wing that adds a bit of track-honed menace but also aero balance. Those roof scoops are a lovely little Le Mans-spec touch, too.

The Brouillard also benefits from a bespoke rear diffuser which, says Bugatti, “maximises the functional surface area through innovative exhaust packaging, representing the culmination of W16 platform development”, so… yeah, that. In short, it’s as W16-y as the W16 can get.

There are embroidered horse motifs inside that sit in a lavish cabin decked out in custom tartan fabrics, specially shaped seats with a spot of leather, green-tint carbon fibre, machined aluminium, and a bit of glass. All very nice and lovely.

Indeed, it’s a bit of a passion project for the lucky owner. Bugatti said the Brouillard’s keeper is not only a fan of the automotive side, but also collects furniture designed by Ettore’s father Carlo, and sculptures from his brother Rembrandt.

These Solitaire cars will be just as rare. Bugatti has committed to building just two of them each year, “ensuring that each receives the complete attention and craftsmanship that it demands”. Consider how long stuff like this takes, and how many Bugattis roam the wilderness, and you'll realise it's a super exclusive endeavour. More exclusive than Bugatti's own Sur Mesure programme.

So, how would your bespoke Bugatti look? Here’s a starter for ten: turns out, Ettore Bugatti was also ahead of the eating game, because he designed his own cutlery…