On Friday, Bugatti showcased several previously unrevealed design studies ahead of a seminar focused on the brand’s historical significance.
These design studies, along with other archival materials, will be displayed to the public on November 8-9 at the National Automuseum in Dietzhölztal, Germany. This museum is home to the Loh Collection, which includes many notable Bugatti models from history.
2014 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo design study
The exhibited materials offer insights into various design directions that Bugatti considered during its contemporary era as part of the Volkswagen Group, including unrealized concepts for a successor to the Veyron and potential new model lines. In 2008, for instance, designers conceptualized a modern Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic coupe, which is regarded as one of the most iconic vehicles produced by Bugatti. Only four were manufactured between 1936 and 1938, and today, they command prices in the eight-figure range at auctions.
However, the modern Atlantic successor was never realized, as Bugatti opted to develop the Chiron supercar following the Veyron. The seminar will also showcase initial design proposals for the Chiron, as well as an unused early concept for the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo concept from 2015, which gave a glimpse of the Chiron. This concept is notably different from what ultimately emerged, featuring separate fenders and a more pronounced aerodynamic design.
2018 Bugatti Type 35 homage with designer Walter da Silva at the wheel
Bugatti also explored creating a modern interpretation of the Type 35—one of the brand’s most successful racing vehicles—producing two different designs in 2015 and 2018. One of these is a futuristic track vehicle that resembles an early sketch of the Bugatti Bolide, while the other is an open-wheel roadster that attempts to merge the original Type 35’s styling with more contemporary proportions.
Alongside these design explorations, the seminar will delve into Bugatti’s history, tracing its origins with founder Ettore Bugatti, the 30-car collection assembled by Fritz Schlumpf that preserved the brand’s legacy, and Bugatti’s brief revival under Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli in the 1990s.
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