Press release2/3/2015

2015 Salon Rétromobile: Bugatti celebrates all eras of its hundred years of history

Molsheim

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.

The Bugatti Tourbillon made its Washington debut in front of the iconic Capitol Building.

Amir Hadzimehmedovic, General Manager of Bugatti Washington, welcoming guests at the showroom’s Grand Opening with the forward-thinking Tourbillon at the center of proceedings.

At the heart of the celebrations, guests were able to admire iconic models enshrining the illustrious legend of Bugatti.

Every element of the Bugatti Tourbillon, meticulously considered, embodies excellence.

The White House echoes the timelessness of the Bugatti Tourbillon.

The event was made even more special by the presence of the Tourbillon, marking Washington as one of the first destinations on its North American tour.

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Bugatti is celebrating over hundred years of history at this year’s Salon Rétromobile in Paris (4 – 8 February).

The French sports car manufacturer is a brand committed to tradition whilst simultaneously writing its present- day success story. Both a classic car from the past and one from today form the presentation at Bugatti’s stand: a Type 50 roadster from 1931 and a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 L’Edition Centenaire from 2009. “As one of the most prestigious vintage exhibitions worldwide, the Rétromobile is an unmissable event for Bugatti,” says Dr Stefan Brungs, Member of the Board of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service. “We use this show to bring together our ‘family’, whose members are the collectors of classic Bugattis, the owners of the sports cars from the nineties and the Veyron owners of the modern era. The Rétromobile is an outstanding opportunity to present the brand’s expertise through vehicles from all eras of its history.”

In the past year, Bugatti launched its programme “Bugatti Certified” for the Veyron fleet in order to be able to provide care for the brand’s latest model. By receiving a “Bugatti Certified” seal, the owner of a Veyron is provided with the assurance that their vehicle meets the highest technical and aesthetic standards over the long term.

“In this way, we are contributing to the appreciation in value of the vehicles,” emphasises Brungs. “A Bugatti incorporates the ‘Non plus Ultra’ in car manufacturing and is often purchased as a collector’s item. To honour the trust placed in us and to ensure the lasting value of this automotive icon is our highest priority.”

Bugatti presents automotive jewels A highlight of this year’s Bugatti presentation is the Type 50. The vehicle on display bears the chassis number 50139 and originates from the year 1931. The elegant bodywork of the roadster was designed by the Parisian couturier Paul Née. The 4.9 litre supercharged sports car constitutes one of the most important models in the history of Bugatti. The design of this vehicle shows the strong influence of Jean Bugatti, son of company founder Ettore Bugatti who, from the late twenties, increasingly pushed forward his own ideas for development of the company in Alsatian Molsheim. The Type 50 was brought onto the market to supplement the existing touring car series. The chassis, cooler and gearbox were identical to those of the Type 46. The engine, however, was a completely new design. Two overhead camshafts and two sloping vents were used for the first time. The engine had a crankshaft with nine sleeve bearings and boasted an impressively higher performance of 225 PS at 4,000 rpm at the same displacement, due to improved thermal conditions in the combustion chamber. In total, only 65 units of the Type 50 and Type 50T, the sports version, were produced.

The more recent brand history is represented at the Rétromobile by a special Bugatti Veyron 16.4 – the Veyron Bleu Centenaire. The vehicle is one of four special Veyron models that Bugatti presented in celebration of its 100 year anniversary in 2009 at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza. With this special Centenaire Edition, Bugatti paid homage to racing of the twenties and thirties and the marque’s great success during these years, which has significantly contributed towards the popularity of Bugatti and decisively shaped the brand legend. The four models were, in a manner bound entirely to tradition, painted in the typical colours of the countries active in motor sports at the time: blue for France, red for Italy, green for England and white for Germany. The Veyron Bleu Centenaire is being presented to the public again for the first time in five years. Bugatti’s special editions in particular are highly regarded by car collectors. With the launch of the Veyron 16.4 in 2005 a new era began for the Bugatti brand. The development of this sports car represented one of the greatest technical challenges in the automotive sector. The Veyron has been setting standards to this day: it is the most powerful and fastest production car in the world, yet can be used every day for comfortable and luxurious travel.

The Rétromobile takes place from 4 to 8 February 2015 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition site. The Bugatti stand is located in Pavillon 1.