{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Article”,”image”:”https://car-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/270231/080-bugatti-destrier.jpg”,”mainEntityOfPage”:{“@type”:”WebPage”,”@id”:”https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/bugatti/destrier/”},”url”:”https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/bugatti/destrier/”,”author”:{“@type”:”Person”,”name”:”Ted Welford”,”description”:”Ted Welford is New Cars Editor on the Bauer automotive hub, working across CAR and our sister website Parkers. Specialising in road testing the latest cars, Ted is also quite the newshound, always investigating the latest industry topics and digging out new stories at any opportunity. u00A0nTed has been a car enthusiast since the start, almost inevitable growing up with a rallying-obsessed family and being ferried around in the back seat of various Subaru Imprezas u2013 the perfect family car, obviously. As a child, Ted hadxf an enviable collection of toy cars, and it was always obvious that he would channel a career linked to cars in one way or another. u00A0nAfter completing his A-levels, Ted started an NCTJ-accredited apprenticeship in journalism with automotive news agency Blackball Media. Thrown into the deep end from the start, he would soon be on the phone to press offices, submitting freedom of information requests and covering new car launches at the age of 20.u00A0u00A0u00A0nTed worked his way up to staff writer at Blackball Media, in a varied role that would cover news, features and a growing focus on new car reviews, writing the latest first drives on everything from the new Dacia Sandero to Lamborghinis, and honing his skills to review and report on the latest cars. He joined CAR and Parkers in February 2024.u00A0u00A0nOutside of working hours, Ted is usually browsing car auctions and classifies in search of a bargain (often unsuccessfully), and currently owns a Mk1 Audi TT Quattro Sport and Renault Clio 182 Trophy. Heu2019s also an avid and perfectionist car valeter and detailer u2013 yes, one of those bores that lectures you about the two-bucket method. Away from cars he loves travelling the world and is also a keen golfer and mountain biker.u00A0nOn social media, you can follow Ted on his personal Instagram account or one dedicated to cars, while heu2019s also on X, formerly Twitter, usually moaning about how much his cars have cost him. You can read Tedu2019s latest articles below.”,”image”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://car-assets.bauersecure.com/wp-images/179402/ted_welford.jpg”,”caption”:”Ted Welford”},”sameAs”:”https://x.com/TedWelford”,”url”:”https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/author/ted-welford/”,”email”:”ted.welford@bauermedia.co.uk”,”jobTitle”:”New Cars Editor”,”knowsAbout”:”Automotive”,”worksFor”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”CAR”}},”dateModified”:”2026-08-06T13:00:00+01:00″,”datePublished”:”2026-08-06T13:00:00+01:00″,”headline”:”One-off Bugatti Destrier revealed: a purposeful track car turned into a thing of elegance”,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”Bauer Media”,”brand”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”Car Magazine”},”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://car-assets.bauersecure.com/images/logos/car.200×88.png”}}}
One-off Bugatti Destrier revealed: a purposeful track car turned into a thing of elegance
► A Bolide with all the big wings and aero removed
► Harks back to days of cleaner-looking track cars
► The lowest Bugatti to date – less than a metre tall
Bugatti has revealed its latest one-off creation, the Destrier, which is based on the track-only Bolide, but with all its aero-focused wings and vents removed.
The Destrier, named after the strongest type of war horse in the Middle Ages, is the third model to come from Bugatti’s Solitaire program, which makes one-off versions based on existing W16 models – in this case the Bolide.
Introduced in 2023, the Bolide was the most aggressive of all the models fitted with the W16 engine. This remains in the Destrier, with its quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre unit putting out 1578bhp.
While sharing a carbon fibre monocoque with the Bolide, the bodywork is completely different, with the huge wing, air vents and splitters removed to create a far cleaner and purer design. Measuring just one metre tall, it’s also lower than a Ford GT40 and considerably lower than other Bugatti production models.
The signature Bugatti ‘C’ curve in the bodywork on the side has been moved forward, while the horseshoe grille is wider. The firm says it ‘anchors a face defined by restraint rather tham aggression’.
The integrated spoiler is similar to that of the Chiron Profilée, the last Chiron made, while the rear of the car is characterised by its compass-like lighting and imposing central four-exit exhaust.
Bugatti says the idea behind the Destrier is one that it’s been doing throughout its history, and references the Type 57, with the Type 57C ‘Tank’ winning Le Mans in 1937 and 1939, meanwhile the Type 57SC Atlantic showed the glamour that could be achieved from a less purposeful body.
Frank Heyl, design director at Bugatti, said: ‘The Bolide gave us the most extreme proportions we have ever created, and by freeing them from the Bolide’s relentless pursuit of downforce, we let them speak as pure sculpture.
‘Just as the Type 57 chassis gave the world both a Le Mans winner and the Atlantic, one platform has now produced two entirely different masterpieces. I believe Destrier will be gracing Concours lawns 50 years from now.’
Painted in a colour called Sapphire Celeste, which is said to have a diamond-inspired sparkle, only two parts of the car – the front splitter and rear diffuser – are exposed carbon fibre, which have been tinted to match the paint colour.
Inside, the Destrier is less hardcore than the Bolide’s interior, with two types of leather being used throughout, along with a 3D knitted fabric.
The Destrier will be revealed to the public during next week’s Monterey Car Week and be on show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 16. At the same event last year it saw the Brouillard revealed as Bugatti’s first bespoke model from its Solitaire division, followed by the FKP Hommage, revealed at the start of the year, which was a modern reinvention of the Veyron 20 years on.
console.debug(‘taboola container loaded..’)
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: ‘thumbs-feed-1×1’,
container: ‘taboola-below-article-thumbnails-v3’,
placement: ‘Below Article Thumbnails V3’,
target_type: ‘mix’
});
var disqus_shortname = ‘carmagazine’;
var disqus_developer = 0;
var disqus_identifier = ‘article-wp-270231’;
(function () {
var dsq = document.createElement(‘script’);
dsq.type = ‘text/javascript’;
dsq.async = true;
dsq.src = ‘http://’ + disqus_shortname + ‘.disqus.com/embed.js’;
(document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0] || document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(dsq);
var s = document.createElement(‘script’);
s.type = ‘text/javascript’;
s.async = true;
s.src = ‘http://’ + disqus_shortname + ‘.disqus.com/count.js’;
(document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0] || document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(s);
})();Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.