Bufori La Joya History

Unveiled as a prototype at the 2003 New York International Auto Show and entering production in 2004, the La Joya (Spanish for 'the jewel') was a landmark for Bufori: it was the company's first coupé, its first front-mid-engined car, and the first model engineered from scratch to comply with international safety and emissions standards — opening the door to genuine global export.

Power came from a 2.7-litre Hyundai V6 producing 170 hp at 6,000 rpm and 245 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox. Placing the engine behind the front axle improved weight distribution and sharpened the car's handling compared to the rear-engined MK II. The body retained Bufori's signature carbon-fibre and Kevlar composite construction over a tubular-steel spaceframe, keeping weight low.

Styled in an Art Nouveau idiom — all curves and flowing chrome — the La Joya mixed 1930s aesthetics with modern engineering and a fully bespoke interior. Production ran from 2004 until 2024, a twenty-year run that made the La Joya the definitive Bufori for a generation of collectors, and the model that firmly established the brand's identity as a neo-classic grand tourer rather than a kit car.