Press release9/17/2021

100 Years of the Type 13 Brescia: Quadruple Victory for Bugatti

Molsheim

With its victory in Brescia, Italy in 1921, Bugatti permanently changed the racing scene.

Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch was the driving force behind one of the most audacious automotive projects in history: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Today, on April 17, we celebrate the birthday of this remarkable visionary.

With the Veyron, Ferdinand Karl Piëch made his ambition clear: deliver the extraordinary, the unsurpassed, the ultimate.

In 1997, while on a train between Tokyo and Nagoya, Ferdinand K. Piëch sketched an idea on the back of an envelope – a vision that would lay the foundation for the legendary W16 and ultimately change the automotive world.

As in previous Bugatti models, the Tourbillon's engine is always visible and is a work of art in its own right.

The naturally aspirated V16 engine alone produces 1,000 HP at 9,000 rpm and delivers 900 Nm of torque.

The 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine is a completely new innovation and has been specifically designed to meet the extreme requirements of Bugatti's new hyper sports car.

The new mechanical powertrain of the Tourbillon is unique in the automotive world with a length of almost one meter.

The plenum, a critical component in any naturally aspirated engine, became a key point of the design process as Bugatti worked to achieve the perfect balance between performance and aesthetics.

The new mechanical heart of the Bugatti Tourbillon is handcrafted by the world-renowned engine specialists at Cosworth.

Episode 7 of ‘A New Era’ takes viewers through a significant milestone in the development of Bugatti's new V16 engine.

Countless test-runs on Cosworth's engine dynos helped the team to better understand the performance characteristics, sound quality, and overall behavior of the new engine.

Unlike conventional early-stage testing, which often begins with the construction of a single-cylinder prototype engine, Bugatti took a more ambitious approach and built an initial test engine with four cylinders.

Marco Arnoletti, Powertrain Chief Engineer at Bugatti Rimac, and Emilio Scervo, CTO of Bugatti Rimac, reflect on the history of the new naturally aspirated V16 engine.

Excellence through continuous learning. Ongoing technical training ensures every Bugatti Service Partner upholds the marque’s exacting standards.

Service Partners together with the Bugatti team in front of the Château Saint-Jean, Molsheim. A moment of pride and tradition as the service teams gather at the historic home of Bugatti for the Bugatti Customer Service Accreditation Training.

Sharing the Bugatti ethos. Dedication to craftsmanship, innovation, and attention to detail — the foundation of every Bugatti service interaction.

Hendrik Malinowksi, Managing Director at Bugatti, exchanging ideas at Château Saint-Jean during the welcoming in the Château Saint-Jean. Celebrating collaboration and commitment to continuous improvement in aftersales service.

BUGATTI Greenwich – Regional Service Partner of the Year. Recognized for outstanding service delivery and commitment to Bugatti’s core values in North America.

Bugatti Vienna – Most Improved Service Partner of 2024. A team driven by excellence, pictured with one of Bugatti's engineering masterpieces, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition.

The Bugatti Service Excellence Award 2024 – A symbol of precision, dedication, and the pursuit of perfection, awarded only to those who meet the highest standards of service.

Alexis Ploix, Director of After Sales and Customer Service, introducing the attendees to the home of the marque. Sharing insights and strategy to uphold the unmatched customer service experience.

Bugatti UAE – Global Service Partner of the Year 2024. Honored with the top accolade for setting the benchmark in customer service and operational excellence worldwide.

Power is in the small details. Hands-on expertise reflects the commitment to delivering a customer experience that’s as refined as the vehicles themselves.

Bugatti Zurich – Regional Service Partner of the Year, celebrating exceptional performance and customer service excellence in the European region.

Frank Heyl, Director of Design at Bugatti, and Jan Schmid, Chief Designer Exterior and Head of the Berlin Studio.

The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin is a creative space that fosters and inspires the talents of designers.

Exterior design, color and trim, and 3D modeling are the main disciplines of the Berlin design team.

Bugatti designers are using cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality to develop the next generation of hyper sports cars.

Bugatti customers and designers have access to a virtually unlimited range of colors.

The new Bugatti Design Studio in the listed E-Werk building pays homage to the long tradition that has shaped Bugatti for more than 115 years.

A 1,100 square-meter studio was created in an industrial building of purist beauty that has stood the test of time and still reflects this today.

The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.

The four concept studies – EB 118, EB 218, EB 18/3 Chiron and EB 18/4 Veyron –immortalised in 2000 in the historic gardens of Herrenhäuser near Hanover.

The EB 118, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1998 and marks the first milestone on the path to the Bugatti Veyron 16.4.

The Art Deco-inspired interior of the EB 218 set new standards in luxury, comfort, and craftsmanship.

Unveiled in September 1999, the EB 18/3 Chiron embodied Bugatti's first vision of a modern super sports car.

Ferdinand Piëch’s vision of a W18 engine became reality. The 555-horsepower all-wheel-drive W18 served as the foundation for all four design studies and could be admired openly from the outside for the first time in the EB 18/3 Chiron.

The EB 18/4 Veyron, presented in Tokyo in 1999, embodied a new stylistic direction under the leadership of Hartmut Warkuß. The design was penned by the young designer Jozef Kabaň.

Each concept was defined by exceptional creativity and unparalleled technical ambition, speaking its own design language – from the Grand Tourer to the luxury sedan, all the way to the mid-engine sports car.

Not only in the exterior of the EB 18/4 Veyron are some features of the later production version of the Veyron 16.4 clearly visible, but the interior also reflects many design elements that would define the final Veyron.

Ferdinand K. Piëch pursued the vision of creating a vehicle capable of reaching 400 km/h – without compromising on comfort, elegance, or usability. The four concept studies served as crucial stepping stones on the path to turning this vision into reality.

100 of {{totalAmount}} images are displayed

Download PDF

The event is the Gran Premio delle Vetturette. On the Circuito di Montichiari, race cars zip back and forth between the towns of Montichiari and Brescia. Tires screech, dust is thrown up into the air. There are 60 laps to be completed, each one 17.3 kilometers long. This is a real challenge for both man and machine, and remains a legendary race to this day. Bugatti Type 13 vehicles take the top four spots in the Grand Prix for Voiturettes cementing the French luxury brand’s motorsport expertise.

To mark the round anniversary, the Bugatti Club Italia organized a special event between September 12 and 16: 40 historic Bugatti vehicles, including the Type 13, 22 and 23 from all over the world, celebrated the historic victory on the beautiful routes around Lake Garda. The start and finish of each day's tour was the legendary city of Brescia. For over 35 years, the Bugatti Club Italia has kept the history of the famous French luxury brand alive - long before the first super sports car of modern times was created with the EB 110 in 1991.

With the Type 13 “Brescia” Bugatti was responsible for a turning point in the history of motorsport in 1921. The first of its kind, the open-top sports car heralded the end of large and heavy race cars just a few years later. From 1921, its light bodywork, superior chassis, and powerful engine allowed the Type 13 to leave its competitors for dust.

As did Ernest Jules Friedrich. The French race car driver and mechanic had been convinced of the Type 13 for some time and had won the famous Le Mans race one year previously. Racing in the Voiturette category in the race in Brescia, he performed lap after lap with great concentration, took corners with precision and speed, and crossed the finishing line first – ahead of his teammates Pierre de Vizcaya, Michel Baccoli, and Pierre Marco.

Voiturettes are lightweight, maneuverable race cars. Bugatti’s Type 13 is just such a vehicle – a mere 490 kilograms in weight and a 1.45-liter four-cylinder engine that initially offers 40 PS, and later 50 PS. The open-top two-seater hits a top speed of 150 km/h and can take corners at a pace thanks to its lightweight construction and precise chassis. With the Type 13, which went into production in 1910, Ettore Bugatti brought together his ideas, continued to refine the technology over the subsequent years steadily, and focused systematically on lightweight construction and high-quality workmanship.

First four-valve engine in a car

From 1914, the engine boasted a displacement of 1.35 liters, and from 1919, it featured the first four-valve cylinder head for faster gas exchange, allowing the four-cylinder engine to deliver 30 PS. Bugatti also introduced white metal for the crankshaft bearings and pistons for higher revs as well as a fuel pump and a pump that sprayed oil onto specific components. Easy-shift four-speed transmission made it easier for the driver to change gears frequently.

In 1921, Bugatti increased the displacement to 1.45 liters, while new ball bearings for the crankshaft, which were even lighter and more smooth-running, were introduced for the later race car. At the same time, Bugatti increased the engine’s compression ratio and the carburetor flow rate, opting for a dual magneto ignition for two spark plugs per combustion chamber. As a result, the racing engine delivered powerful combustion at high revs of up to 4,500 rpm. Light wire-spoked wheels that replaced heavy wooden wheels reduced the unsprung masses and increase the vehicle’s agility further still. The Type 13 essentially set the benchmark in motorsport. It was powerful, fast, and sinewy, like a racy thoroughbred; a “pur sang.”

In the 1920s, the Bugatti vehicles won virtually every competition they entered. The lightweight, powerful and reliable sports cars from Molsheim were superior on tough road races and hill climbs in particular, making them close to unbeatable.

Following its quadruple victory in Brescia, the French atelier sold 711 Type 13 Brescia vehicles with a four-valve head as well as 388 vehicles with engines featuring an easy-turn crankshaft with ball bearings. All the subsequent four-valve vehicles even officially bore the name “Brescia” in memory of this unique success. Bugatti also applied the Type 13 concept with other vehicle lengths like the Type 15, Type 17, Type 22, and Type 23. The Type 13 was produced in Molsheim until 1926, with Bugatti selling a total of approximately 2,000 units of the model.

Bugatti Type 35 furthers the racing success

The staff began to assemble Type 35 vehicles in 1925. This vehicle furthered Bugatti’s run of success – in the subsequent years, it became the most successful race car of all time, having clocked up more than 2,000 wins. Among these wins were five consecutive victories in the Targa Florio in Sicily between 1925 and 1929, one of the toughest races of its time. With this impressive success story, the Type 35 therefore followed in the footsteps of its successful predecessor a few years previously in Brescia.