Bugatti showcases its heritage and future at Monterey Car Week
Every summer, Monterey Car Week brings together the world’s leading collectors, enthusiasts and prestigious car manufacturers in California. For Bugatti, the 2026 edition provided an opportunity to showcase the full richness of its universe, combining heritage, innovation and bespoke creation. At the heart of the event, the spectacular Bugatti Destrier, the latest unique creation from the Programme Solitaire, shared the spotlight with the Bugatti Tourbillon and several exceptional historic models. A celebration of Molsheim’s expertise that also echoes Monaco, where the Bugatti Mistral recently captivated visitors at Top Marques Monaco.
The Destrier, a new work of art crafted to measure
The undisputed star of Bugatti’s presence in Monterey, the Bugatti Destrier embodies a new vision of automotive personalisation. The latest creation from the Programme Solitaire, this unique model was presented to its owner before making its first public appearance at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.
Based on the technical foundations of the spectacular Bolide, the Destrier stands apart through an entirely new stylistic interpretation. Inspired by the great coachbuilt creations of the 1920s and 1930s, it illustrates the philosophy of the Programme Solitaire: bringing to life an automobile conceived jointly by a customer and Bugatti’s design and craftsmanship teams. Every detail, every material and every line tells its own story, making this creation a truly unique example.
This pursuit of exclusivity is fully embedded in Bugatti’s DNA, where the automobile transcends its primary function to become a collector’s work of art designed to endure for generations.
From heritage to Tourbillon and Mistral: Bugatti is already looking to the future
While the Destrier celebrated the art of bespoke creation, the Bugatti Tourbillon represented the future of the brand. Throughout Monterey Car Week, a validation prototype completed its first official tests on American roads with Mate Rimac behind the wheel, giving customers a first glimpse of this new hyper sports car.
Powered by an all-new 8.3-litre naturally aspirated V16 combined with a new-generation hybrid powertrain, the Tourbillon perfectly symbolises Bugatti’s ambition to combine extreme performance, mechanical emotion and cutting-edge technologies in an automobile designed “Pour l’Éternité”.
This vision of automotive luxury was also expressed through the many experiences offered at Maison Bugatti, meetings with the design and engineering teams, as well as the exceptional presence of historic models on the lawns of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
For enthusiasts in Monaco, this latest news naturally echoes the recent presentation of the Bugatti Mistral in a “Pearl” and “Sparkle” finish at Top Marques Monaco. The final model powered by the iconic W16 engine, the roadster had already generated tremendous enthusiasm in the Principality. Between the Mistral, which marks the end of an era, the Tourbillon, which opens a new chapter, and the Destrier, the ultimate expression of bespoke creation, Bugatti demonstrates more than ever its ability to combine heritage, innovation and exclusivity.
