The automotive industry is no stranger to exotic materials. Materials like carbon fiber, magnesium, ceramic and others have become popular for their high-performance characteristics. But porcelain? Isn't that the stuff they make fine china and toilet bowls out of?
We've seen a Ferrari designed to look like antique porcelain, but this all-new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport L'Or Blanc is the first we've seen that actually uses porcelain in its build. In fact, according to Bugatti, it's the first car ever to do so. It seems like they did it just to prove they could (and brag about it afterwards), because we can't see any real reason to build the world's fastest car out of one of the world's most dainty materials. Sure, it looks kind of cool--in an early-90s Zubaz pants sort of way--but I just don't understand how you come to the decision of Porcelein Veyron.
Dr. Stefan Brungs, Director of Sales and Marketing at Bugatti Automobiles understands it and explains: "At first, it seems to be an unusual idea to use porcelain in a car, especially in the world's fastest convertible. But this is what Bugatti stands for: the realization of exceptional ideas whilst striving for the utmost in quality and aesthetics. This allows us to continue Ettore Bugatti's heritage, who himself loved to experiment with new materials."
Bugatti doesn't really explain exactly where or how it uses the porcelain, but we'll go out on a limb and guess that all those weird, white, squigglies are it. It adorns both the exterior and interior door panels. Bugatti got help on the porcelain end of things from Königliche Porzellan-Manufatur Berlin (KPM).
So, it's a Veyron. It's one of a kind. And it has generous servings of porcelain, typically considered a fine, expensive material. Guess what: it doesn't come cheap. Bugatti has stickered a price of 1.65 million euros on this porcelain dream. That's about $2.4 million for us American folks.
We'll go ahead and file "$2.5-million porcelain Veyron" in the "things we never thought we'd see but should have known better" drawer.
