Bugatti Divo ‘Lady Bug’ Took Around Two Years To Complete – And They Almost Gave Up On It

Shortly after the premiere of the Divo at Pebble Beach in 2018, Bugatti was approached by a customer who wanted an even more exclusive unit, with a very complicated paint job for his personal collection.

What he had in mind was a strict geometric pattern with diamond shapes in a unique metallic color contrast, dubbed ‘Customer Special Red’ and ‘Graphite’. The graphics were designed to run precisely from the front to the rear, in order to match the hypercar’s silhouette.

Easy-peasy? Quite the opposite actually, because it took the entire team more than a year and a half to implement the solutions, using CAD data, countless simulations and even a test vehicle to perfectly align the approximately 1,600 diamonds before applying them to the customer’s car. In fact, the work turned out to be an absolute nightmare, and at one point, they almost gave up on the project.

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“Due to the nature of the project, where a 2D graphic was applied to a 3D sculpture, and after numerous failed ideas and attempts to apply the diamonds, we were close to giving up and saying ‘we cannot meet the customer’s request’”, said the brand’s chief of Color & Trim, Jorg Grumer. “However, it is our profound conviction that we should never give up, and that our foremost motivation should always be to make the impossible possible for the customer.”

After one final rehearsal, using another test vehicle, they finally applied the pattern to the Divo. Subsequently, employees checked every diamond over several days to make sure that everything is perfect, and the car was then sanded, smoothed, checked, retouched and then re-sanded again.

“We are proud to have matched the customer’s personal taste and expectations with this unique Divo”, added President Stephan Winkelmann. “The car really demonstrates what the marque is capable of in terms of creativity and craftsmanship.”

Nicknamed the Divo ‘Lady Bug’, it was delivered to its owner at the beginning of the year, and it is the centerpiece of his collection that also counts the Vision Gran Turismo, Chiron and Veyron Vitesse, apparently.

“I was absolutely floored upon delivery”, the owner said. “Working with the Bugatti design team on the ‘Lady Bug’s’ production was an exceptional experience, not only in the true dedication to the flawless execution of the one-of-a-kind design, but also in the dedication at all levels involved in the final presentation of the vehicle. Not only is the vehicle a true masterpiece and work of art, but it is the true height of my collection to date, and the most intricate and well developed vehicle I have owned.”

Pricing for the ‘regular’ Divo starts at €5 million ($6 million) excluding tax on the other side of the pond, and each one uses the 1,479 HP (1,500 PS / 1,103 kW) 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine. Top speed is limited to 236 mph (380 km/h) and only 40 units will be made in total.