Press release5/14/2013

Mille Miglia 2013: Bugatti to compete with one of the most successful racing cars of all time, the Type 35

Molsheim

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.

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This year Bugatti is sending two automobile icons to the 36^th Mille Miglia, the most famous vintage car rally in the world. The star of the show is a Bugatti Type 35, one of the most successful racing cars in automotive history. Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, president of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S, will be behind the factory car’s wheel. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, the latest model from the legendary French brand, will also start, though not compete. The Mille Miglia runs from 16-19 May 2013.

The Mille Miglia – the thousand-mile rally from Brescia to Rome and back – is a ‘must-attend’ historical driving event for car enthusiasts across the world. Bugatti is no exception. The luxury French brand with a proud and long history is participating in Mille Miglia 2013 with two automobile icons. Representing Bugatti’s fine racing pedigree, a Type 35T from 1926 – Grand Prix racing car par excellence – will line up on the starting grid. The 35T is a version of the Type 35, one of the most successful racing cars in automotive history, having clocked up over 2,000 victories.

The Type 35T draws its 120 PS from a 2.3 litre, straight-eight engine. Its 750 kilogrammes are distributed perfectly across the axles (50 to 50 per cent), giving the car incredible manoeuvrability. As a representative of the Bugatti brand, which hails from and is still headquartered in Molsheim, Alsace, the Type 35T will enter the race in blue racing livery, as all French racing cars once were.

This jewel of a car with an incredible past will be accompanied by a modern day icon: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. The Vitesse, which is also manufactured in Molsheim, is powered by an 8-litre W16 engine. It boasts some impressive statistics: 1,200 PS, 1,500 Nm of torque and exhilarating acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds. With the top down, it reaches a top speed of 410 km/h, which makes it the fastest production roadster in the world. Recently, the Vitesse also broke the world record for open-top driving with a top speed of 408 km/h. To match the Type 35, the Vitesse appearing at the Mille Miglia is also blue. The upper bodywork consists of blue clear-coated carbon fibre, while the lower part is in “Light Blue Sport”.

This year, the Mille Miglia is being held for the 36^th time since 1977, as a tribute to the former legendary motor race. From its début in 1927 to its temporary closure in 1957, the Mille Miglia was considered one of the longest and most challenging races in the world. Although today it is organised as a moderate and safe drive, it is by no means a Sunday outing for vintage car lovers. The three-day, multi-stage rally places considerable demands on driver and vintage car alike. The race runs over 1,000 miles from its start in Brescia, Northern Italy, passes cities such as Verona, Ferrara, San Marino and Rome, and returns via Siena, Florence and Cremona, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts at the roadside along the way. The rules stipulate that only cars that took part in the original Italian classic race and are still in their original condition may participate in the competition.

The Mille Miglia runs from 16–19 May 2013. The Bugatti Type 35T will drive with starting number 14.

5/14/2025