The magic of the finest artworks never diminishes, even of those that may now be lost to history. The Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, created by the French luxury brand founder’s eldest son, Jean Bugatti, represented the pinnacle of elegance and sophistication in the pre-war era. Just four examples were built. The fourth Bugatti Atlantic, the missing all-black “La Voiture Noire1”, has acquired near-mythical status. Seven decades after it vanished, the iconic car influenced Bugatti’s designers and engineers to create one of the most unique vehicles of the modern age: the one-off La Voiture Noire hyper sports car. Now, the contemporary Bugatti La Voiture Noire provides the inspiration for an equally exclusive Asprey Bugatti Collection.
Definitive exclusivity
The first masterpiece handcrafted by Asprey holds true to the values of the remarkable automobile it pays tribute to. Like La Voiture Noire, one single sculpture will be created, ensuring an unparalleled level of exclusivity by NFT technology. Only the most precious of materials will be used to form the sculpture, handmade in 24k rose gold and mounted upon a bespoke, handcrafted base, finished in the iconic signature colors of Bugatti and Asprey.
The NFT accompanying the La Voiture Noire-inspired sculpture will be the most exclusive and highest value element of the entire collection and will be linked to the physical masterpiece visually and via a QR code and unique serial identifier.
Like Bugatti, Asprey offers a seamless blend of technological innovation and time-honored craftsmanship in the creation of its objets d’art. To reach the epitome of excellence, Asprey’s in-house silversmiths will dedicate approximately four months at their workshop in London to the creation of the sculpture.
In addition, the creative collaboration will also deliver a series of 261 smaller yet highly exclusive sterling silver sculptures, each with NFTs. The number 261 has been selected as it is the top speed of La Voiture Noire in mph. NFTs will be visually linked to each sculpture and via a QR code in the same way as the one-of-one sculpture. Owners will be able to login to a dedicated microsite, aspreybugatti.com, and follow the production process of their sculptures by Asprey’s master artisans. The physical sculptures will feature different color bases depending upon the NFT minted. Each colored base will relate to the iconic brand colors of Asprey and Bugatti, representing the partnership and history of both brands.
The exclusive collection will be released in March on aspreybugatti.com.
Wiebke Stahl, Managing Director of Bugatti International, said: “All Bugatti creations, from the Type 57 SC Atlantic that was infamously lost, to the contemporary La Voiture Noire, are designed to spark emotion, even when not being driven, as a static piece of automotive art. Timeless design is a fundamental philosophy at the core of both Bugatti’s and Asprey’s vision. Now, this exclusive partnership will enable Bugatti customers and enthusiasts to enjoy our design values from a new perspective through this stunning collection of objets d’art.”
Ali Walker, Chief Creative Officer at Asprey’s Digital Studio, said: “ This year, at Asprey, we celebrate our 241st anniversary. The Asprey Digital Studio and the newly expanded London workshop heralds a new era. The partnership with Bugatti, such an iconic and artistic brand, is the ultimate collaboration to explore new production and artistic techniques. The bold colors mixed with the gold and silver precious metals create a vivid pop art theme. As for the “Noire”, only the buyer of the 1 of 1 will know that.”
