The special edition Veyron Grand sport takes luxury motoring to new heights.
BUGATTI, the maker of the world's fastest production car, has developed a €1.65 million ($A2.2 million) special edition of the Veyron Grand Sport model with porcelain accents, including a caviar tray.
The L'Or Blanc, the first vehicle equipped with porcelain, according to Bugatti, is a joint effort between Volkswagen AG's supercar brand and Berlin-based KPM, a 248-year-old porcelain maker that traces its roots back to King Frederick the Great of Prussia.
The roadster, which will be shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, was unveiled last week in Berlin.
''Installing porcelain in the world's fastest convertible car seems like a pretty odd idea,'' Stefan Brungs, the brand's sales chief, said. ''But Bugatti has made a name for itself by not shying away from extravagant ideas.''
VW purchased Bugatti in 1998 along with the Lamborghini and Bentley ultra-luxury nameplates to compete with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's Rolls-Royce. Under VW's reign, the brand, which was founded by Italian-born car designer Ettore Bugatti, started production of the two-door Veyron 16.4 in 2005. The last of 300 models of the limited series was sold last week to a European-based customer, spokeswoman Emanuela Wilm said.
Bugatti, which makes about 50 cars a year from its headquarters in Molsheim, France, may build the four-door 16C Galibier model after getting the go-ahead from Germany-based VW.
The model has a 1000-horsepower engine and may cost about €1 million.
The L'Or Blanc, which is painted in vibrant white with royal blue lines curving along the exterior, was developed as a one-of-a-kind model for an unidentified businessman from the United Arab Emirates, who has a collection of about 800 cars, Ms Wilm said
The vehicle features 12 porcelain elements, including wheel badges and fuel and oil caps. A panel depicting an elephant standing on its hind legs, a Bugatti symbol, is mounted between the seats. A sceptre, the logo of KPM given to the company in 1763, is inlaid at the top of the windshield.
A highlight of the car is a porcelain dish in the centre console. The dish can serve as a caviar tray, when used together with an ice bucket that's part of a specially designed picnic set, said Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti's design chief.
''It's all arranged in a way that allows for maximum comfort during the drive,'' he said.
