Bugatti Design Boss Timeless Tourbillon

Bugatti is a car that will be loved for decades and, in the case of early models, centuries.

This means that when developing a new Bugatti, the design team must work hard to ensure that the car will be attractive for years to come.

Bugatti unveiled its latest hypercar, the Tourbillon, in June, and in a video posted on Bugatti's YouTube page on Thursday, Bugatti design chief Frank Heil explains how the team is working to create a timeless car. He explains.

The philosophy of form follows function, or in Bugatti's case, form follows performance, has traditionally produced universally preferred designs. However, Bugatti goes a step further and ensures that it does not follow trends. This is why, for example, there are no digital screens anywhere. The Tourbillon does have an infotainment screen, but it is housed in the dashboard and only appears when the driver needs it for navigation purposes.

According to Heil, preciousness and rarity are further keys. He cited examples of how even simple elements can be enhanced, such as carving from a solid block of aluminum rather than simply casting it. A highlight is the tourbillon's complex suite of mechanical instruments, created with the help of Swiss watchmakers, which consists of more than 600 parts, including some made of titanium and precious stones.

And finally, there is the attention to detail. The designers considered how every element would look, feel, and in the case of the cabin's leather trim, smell. Bugatti also strived to ensure that the invisible parts followed the same design principles as the visible parts.

The main designer of the tourbillon was Achim Ansheit, Hail's predecessor. He headed Bugatti's design for 19 years, with the tourbillon being his last assignment. He had intended to resign earlier, but Mate Rimac, CEO of the Bugatti Rimac Partnership, convinced him to stay at Bugatti and help finalize the design of the new hypercar.

Since production of the Tourbillon will not begin until 2026, it is good that Bugatti has given the car a design that will not look old. Only 250 units are planned, with prices starting at about $4 million. Power will come from a naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V-16 engine and three electric motors (two in the front and one in the rear); the V-16 engine will produce about 1,000 hp on its own, with the electric motors adding another 800 hp.