Press release8/14/2015

Pebble Beach 2015: Bugatti presents successful super sports cars from the company’s history

Pebble Beach 2015: Bugatti presents successful super sports cars from the company’s history

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.​
Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti, welcoming Service Partners to Molsheim. Strengthening relationships and honoring contributions at the heart of the brand.​
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.​
The Tourbillon marks a new era for Bugatti, in which the design team is breaking new ground while drawing inspiration from the brand's rich heritage.
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.
In order to meet the brand's highest standards, every material, color, and cut is carefully selected and tailored to the customer's wishes.
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 Tourbillon marks a new era for Bugatti, in which the design team is breaking new ground while drawing inspiration from the brand's rich heritage.
The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.
The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.
The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.
The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.
The new Bugatti Design Studio in Berlin connects tradition with innovation and modernity.
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.​
In the spring of 1999, Bugatti presented the EB 218 – one of the few four-door concepts ever designed by the brand.​
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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Bugatti is set to stage a parade of special vehicles from its history as part of this year’s Monterey Car Week (10 to 16 August).

The French luxury brand presents two record holders at the prestigious automotive events “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” on Friday and “Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance” on Sunday. The first is the Type 35, which is the most successful racing car of all time with nearly 2,000 victories and podiums. The second is the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, which drove 431.072 km/h (268 mph), making it the fastest production car in the world. Another two exceptional examples of Bugatti’s super sports car heritage will also be included: a Type 57SC Roadster and a Type 55 Super Sport Roadster. The French car maker’s attendance at this event underlines its commitment to the ideals of company founder Ettore Bugatti, which finds a modern interpretation in the brand values of “Art, Forme, Technique”. In keeping with tradition, all vehicles will be exhibited in blue, the historic racing colour of France. Bugatti has also shown its commitment to preserving the Veyron’s status as a coveted collector’s item and investment through the “Bugatti Certified” program. “Monterey Car Week is an event that Bugatti will not miss under any circumstances,” according to Wolfgang Dürheimer, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “Bugatti is one of the acclaimed highlights of the annual event, which features the most exclusive and valuable classic automobiles in the world. We meet a huge number of customers and admirers of our brand. North America is one of our key markets.”

Bugatti successfully completed the first chapter of its recent history with the sale of the 450th and final Veyron earlier this year. When Bugatti introduced this vehicle full of superlatives a decade ago, it created a new vehicle segment. Never before had there been a production sports car with more than 1,000 horsepower under the hood and a top speed in excess of 400 km/h (248 mph). Bugatti currently holds two world speed records, one for the fastest production car at 431.072 km/h, set in 2010, and another for the fastest production roadster, which reached 408.84 km/h (254 mph) with its roof down in 2013. The market segment that Bugatti created was also new, because the starting price of €1 million was a real sensation at the time. The average price of the vehicles sold to date was €2.3 million.

“The Veyron is an amazing success story in the automotive world”, said Dürheimer. “Now, having sold all 450 vehicles, a new chapter has begun for the Veyron fleet, which we will actively support with the “Bugatti Certified” program. It will enable us to achieve our commitment to maintaining the high standards of Bugatti for the complete lifecycle of a Veyron, both for the brand and for our customers.”

Bugatti launched the “Bugatti Certified” program in 2014 as a way to provide a full service for owners of a new or used Veyron. This includes the technical inspection and preparation of vehicles, technical updates and an extended warranty of at least one year. With the “Bugatti Certified” seal, the vehicle owner is not only guaranteed visibly and technically flawless condition of the vehicle, but also the certainty of having contributed to the long-term value of the car.

In addition, the French luxury brand is using its appearance in Pebble Beach to look to the future. Dürheimer continues, “Bugatti will showcase amazing vehicles to represent its impressive super sports car tradition. We intend to continue this tradition as a matter of course.”

“The next Bugatti will once again be the epitome of a super sports car and will redefine the segment”, Dürheimer announced. “The vehicle will be in a class of its own, with impressive power statistics, performance and design. We plan to stay at the top.”

The Bugatti line-up in Pebble Beach – a parade of superlatives

Type 57SC Corsica Roadster – one of the fastest roadsters of its era Bugatti has undoubtedly brought a highlight of its history to Monterey in the shape of the Type 57SC Corsica Roadster (chassis 57531). The two-seater roadster, whose body was engineered by renowned French company Corsica, belonged to Sir Malcolm Campbell, who played a key role in co-designing the body and took ownership of the car on 22 April 1937. The model is the sporty version of the standard Type 57 touring car and was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1935. The chassis was 32 cm shorter and sat lower, the “S” in the model name stands for “Surbaissé”, which is French for “lowered”. The “C” stands for “Compressor”.

As a successor to the Type 55, the last of which was delivered in July 1935, only 43 Type 57S vehicles were manufactured until production ceased in 1938. The most interesting detail of this car was undoubtedly the rear axle, which passed through the chassis rather than riding under the longitudinal frame members, as in the standard Type 57. The front axle was also new. It was split down the middle and can be considered a precursor of front single-wheel suspension.

In terms of powertrain technology, the S-versions differ from the standard versions as the 57S engines have dry sump lubrication. Instead of a standard coil ignition with a vertical distributor, a Scintilla magneto driven by the left camshaft was housed in the bulkhead. The Type 57S engine also had a higher compression ratio of 8:5:1 rather than 6:7:1, resulting in greater power. With a displacement of 3,257 cm3 at 5,500 rpm, the engine delivered an impressive 170 PS. The top speed was 200 km/h, which was extremely impressive for a roadster at the time. The car nicknamed “Bluebird” has been in the possession of a Californian car collector since October 2002.

Type 55 Super Sport Roadster – the acceleration marvel Bugatti will also be showcasing a Type 55 Super Sport Roadster (chassis 55208) at the Pebble Beach weekend. The Type 55 succeeded the Type 43 in 1931 as a touring car with a Grand Prix engine. Ettore Bugatti used the relatively lightweight Type 51 engine and the extremely rigid chassis from the Type 47, which was capable of holding a heavy engine. In the process, he combined the ingredients to create one of the most finely honed Bugatti chassis. The brakes and wheels on the 55 were identical to those of the Type 51. The transmission was carried over from the Type 49, but the Type 55 had a newly developed housing featuring long cantilevers mounted on the side members to further increase the rigidity of the chassis. The acceleration of the Type 55 was impressive, taking less than ten seconds to get from 0 to 100 km/h. At 5,500 rpm its 10-cylinder engine achieved a solid 135 PS. This vehicle is still considered to be an unbeatable combination of Grand Prix racing car performance with the luxurious and comfortable driving characteristics of a touring car. A total of 38 Type 55s were built between 1932 and 1935, of which 28 are still in existence.

The displayed chassis 55208 was ordered by Parisian Bugatti agent Dominique Lamberjack in February 1932 and delivered in April of the same year. The buyer was the amateur racing driver Charles Brunet, who commissioned a “Roadster Luxe” body by coachbuilder Georges Gangloff and actively competed in races with it. The vehicle has been in the possession of the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California since 2012.

Type 35 – the most successful racing car in automotive history The third vehicle in the Bugatti parade is a Grand Prix racing car in its purest form: a Type 35 from 1926. With over 2,000 victories and podium positions, the Type 35 is one of the most successful racing cars in automobile history. Between the mid-1920s and 1930s, it won all the major races, including five consecutive victories in the Targa Florio, which was the toughest road race in the world at the time. In keeping with the philosophy of “Race on Sunday, sell on Monday”, company founder Ettore Bugatti sold countless Type 35s directly to wealthy customers following successful race weekends. This business idea brought commercial success for the Molsheim car maker. In its time, the Type 35 was the only car that could be driven both on the race track and on the roads.

The Type 35 is powered by a 120 PS 2.3l in-line eight-cylinder engine. Its 750 kilogrammes are distributed perfectly across the axles (50 to 50 per cent), giving the car incredible dynamics. The vehicle on display in Monterey comes from the car manufacturer’s own archive.

Veyron 16.4 Super Sport – the fastest production car in the world Bugatti will also showcase the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, the youngest member of the super sports car range. The car was manufactured at the company’s historic Molsheim headquarters in 2011. In 2010, the 1,200 PS Super Sport set a world record for the fastest production car with a top speed of 431.072 km/h, and remains unbeaten to this day.

The Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is the 1,200 PS derivative of the 1,001 PS Veyron 16.4, which marked the beginning of Bugatti’s most recent success story in 2005. Only 450 Veyrons were built, of which 300 were coupés and 150 were roadsters. As of the start of this year, all vehicles have been sold. No other automotive manufacturer has previously managed to sell an exceptional vehicle of this kind in a comparable price/volume range.

The development of the Veyron was one of the most significant technical challenges ever undertaken by the automobile industry. It was the first production car with over 1,000 PS, the first to exceed 400 km/h and accelerate from nought to one hundred km/h in less than three seconds – while remaining suitable to drive to the opera in comfort and style in the same configuration. Even ten years after it was launched, the Veyron is a superlative in every respect. When developing the Veyron, the designers also strove to continue the aesthetic tradition of Ettore Bugatti. And they certainly succeeded. The exterior has a modern style which incorporates Bugatti’s classic design features. The Veyron is an example of timeless automotive design and at the same time an automotive work of art. The vehicle shown here is on loan from a customer in the USA.

Fuel consumption and emissions

  • Bolide: Not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC, as it is a racing vehicle not intended for use on public roads.

  • Centodieci: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 40.3 / medium phase 22.2 / high phase 17.9 / extra high phase 17.1 / combined 21.5; CO2 emissions combined, g / km: NA; efficiency class: G

  • Chiron: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 44.6 / medium phase 24.8 / high phase 21.3 / extra high phase 21.6 / combined 25.2; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 572; efficiency class: G

  • Chiron Profilée: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 44.6 / medium phase 24.8 / high phase 21.3 / extra high phase 21.6 / combined 25.2; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 572; efficiency class: G

    • Chiron Pur Sport: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 44.6 / medium phase 24.8 / high phase 21.3 / extra high phase 21.6 / combined 25.2; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 572; efficiency class: G

    • Chiron Sport: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 44.6 / medium phase 24.8 / high phase 21.3 / extra high phase 21.6 / combined 25.2; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 572; efficiency class: G

    • Chiron Super Sport: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 40.3 / medium phase 22.2 / high phase 17.9 / extra high phase 17.1 / combined 21.5; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 487; efficiency class: G

    • Chiron Super Sport 300+: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 40.3 / medium phase 22.2 / high phase 17.9 / extra high phase 17.1 / combined 21.5; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 487; efficiency class: G

    • Divo: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 43.3 / medium phase 22.2 / high phase 18.0 / extra high phase 18.3 / combined 22.3; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 506; efficiency class: G

    • La Voiture Noire: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 43.3 / medium phase 22.2 / high phase 18.0 / extra high phase 18.3 / combined 22.3; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 506; efficiency class: G

      • Tourbillon: This model is currently not subject to directive 1999/94/EC, as type approval has not yet been granted.

      • W16 Mistral: WLTP fuel consumption, l/100 km: low phase 40.7 / medium phase 21.9 / high phase 18.3 / extra high phase 17.6 / combined 21.8; CO2 emissions combined, g/km: 495; efficiency class: G

        Bugatti

        The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law.

        Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the “Guide on the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new passenger car models”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at www.dat.de.

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