Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este : Bugatti roadsters shine with their elegance

With the picturesque Lake Como as a backdrop, Bugatti managed to harmoniously marry tradition and modernity, past and future, during the very prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este held this weekend in Italy. This event highlighted the brand’s incomparable heritage in terms of roadster vehicle design.

Two icons of Bugatti know-how demonstrated this unrivaled and renowned Bugatti heritage at Villa d’Este: the W16 Mistral¹, the ultimate roadster of modern times, and the legendary Type 57S Roadster from 1936 with bodywork by Corsica, a timeless two-seater masterpiece.

The W16 Mistral, in perfect harmony with the setting and philosophy of this event dedicated to elegance and design, perfectly embodied the very essence of the competition. This roadster, named after a powerful wind from the south of France, embodies freedom, elegance and performance, perfectly reflecting the Bugatti spirit. The striking “X”-shaped taillights and four refined vertical headlights of the W16 Mistral lit up Lake Como this weekend as the sun set over this legendary gathering.

“The W16 Mistral continues Bugatti’s magnificent heritage, which has given birth to some of the most elegant roadsters in the world. Each component of the hyper sports car has been carefully designed with the intention, not only of establishing new aesthetic standards, but also of playing a fundamental role in the search for completely new levels of performance. The W16 Mistral signals a perfect farewell to our legendary W16 engine. » said Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti.

The W16 Mistral is the latest in a series of iconic roadsters designed and developed through the ages by Bugatti. This year at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, a rare Type 57S Corsica Roadster also competed, representing the brand in Class B “Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers”. Between 1933 and the start of the war, the Type 57 was the only production vehicle produced by Bugatti. At the Paris Auto Show in 1935, Jean Bugatti launched his masterpiece and presented the Type 57S which would be produced in 40 examples between 1936 and 1938. The car presented at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, including the first owner was the famous British racing driver Nicky Embiricos, is now in the hands of its third owner. A true jewel of Bugatti’s heritage, the Type 57S combines the very essence of what is at the heart of the W16 Mistral: freedom, elegance and performance.

Since its first edition in 1929 at the Villa d’Este, the Concorso d’Eleganza has maintained a close relationship with Bugatti. During the last two editions, the Bugatti Bolide² and La Voiture Noire³ won the prestigious first prize in the “Concept Cars & Prototypes.” Iconic models of the brand such as a Type 57SC Atlantic from 1938, a Type 57S Vanvooren Cabriolet from 1937 and a Type 59 from 1934, were also recently decorated at the legendary Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.