The Bugatti Black Bess is one of those modern hypercars that makes rarity feel almost tangible, combining extreme performance with the kind of craftsmanship more commonly associated with a bespoke grand tourer. Now, one of just three examples ever produced has appeared for sale through Amian Cars in Germany, giving collectors an opportunity to acquire one of the most distinctive members of Bugatti’s Les Légendes de Bugatti series. The car has covered just 5,600 km, or approximately 2,610 miles, since being registered in July 2014 and has had two owners. Its asking price has not been disclosed.
Based on the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, the Black Bess was created as the fifth installment of Bugatti’s six-part Legends collection, with each edition limited to three cars. That meant the entire series comprised only 18 automobiles, all of which Bugatti said had been sold before the final edition was revealed. This particular Black Bess is described as the only US-specification car among the three, adding another layer of distinction to an already exceptionally scarce Veyron. Its black carbon-fiber bodywork, black wheels and 24-karat gold detailing give it an unmistakable presence.
A Veyron dressed in gold and history
The inspiration came from the legendary Type 18 “Black Bess,” an early Bugatti performance car associated with French aviation pioneer Roland Garros. The modern interpretation carries the theme through a genuine 24-karat gold-plated horseshoe grille, gold detailing on the EB emblem and wheel hubs, and gold accents around the car’s engraved fuel and oil filler caps. Gold stripes sweep outward from the front fenders before tapering toward the doors, creating a visual effect that contrasts dramatically with the exposed character of the black carbon fiber. The modern Black Bess made its world premiere at Auto China in Beijing in April 2014, where Bugatti displayed it alongside the original Type 18 borrowed from the Louwman Museum in The Hague.
The cabin is arguably even more fascinating, with Beige and Havanna leather, rosewood trim, gold accents, and a crimson leather-wrapped steering wheel creating an unusually warm atmosphere for a car capable of extraordinary speeds. Its two leather door panels feature hand-painted scenes of the Type 18 and Garros’s Morane-Saulnier Type H aircraft, with none of the six panels produced across the three Black Bess cars being identical. Bugatti developed a special ink and protective treatment to allow the artwork to withstand abrasion and environmental exposure, effectively adapting an old decorative technique to modern automotive standards. The result turns the interior into a form of automotive artwork that is unique even within this three-car series.
The Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse unleashed
Underneath the craftsmanship sits the Grand Sport Vitesse’s 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16, producing 1,184 hp, and 1,106 lb-ft of torque. Bugatti quoted a 0-to-62-mph time of just 2.6 seconds, while the Vitesse reached 254.04 mph with its roof down during a 2013 record run, making it the former world’s fastest production roadster. The record belongs to the Vitesse model rather than this particular Black Bess, and Bugatti’s W16 Mistral subsequently established a higher open-top speed in 2024. More unusually, the Vitesse was engineered so its occupants could reportedly hold a conversation with the roof down at speeds exceeding 124 mph.
The Black Bess also carries a surprisingly rich story beyond Bugatti itself. The original Type 18 was owned by Garros before British racing driver Ivy Cummings acquired it in 1922 and gave it the Black Bess name, inspired by Dick Turpin’s legendary horse. Bugatti priced the modern edition at €2.15 million before taxes when new, while a comparable Jean-Pierre Wimille Legends car sold for approximately $5.44 million in September 2026. That gives us a useful context but does not establish the value of this Black Bess, whose condition, provenance and documentation would ultimately determine its market price. For now, its price remains on request, leaving one of Bugatti’s rarest modern tributes waiting for its next owner.
