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Bugatti Car: This article focuses on the original company founded by Ettore Bugatti. For details about the modern brand, see Bugatti Automobiles, and for other uses of the name, refer to Bugatti (disambiguation). Bugatti has been synonymous with elegance, luxury, and groundbreaking automotive performance since its inception, making a lasting impact on the history of high-performance sports cars.
Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a renowned manufacturer of high-performance automobiles, originally established in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace—a city that was then part of Germany. Founded by Italian-born designer Ettore Bugatti, the company gained fame for its exceptional designs and remarkable racing triumphs. Some of the most legendary Bugatti models include the Type 35 Grand Prix, the Type 41 “Royale”, the Type 57 “Atlantic”, and the Type 55 sports car.
The company suffered a major setback with the death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947, especially following the tragic loss of his son Jean Bugatti in 1939. With no direct successor to uphold the legacy, Bugatti faced financial struggles, producing only around 8,000 cars in total. By the 1950s, Bugatti released its final model before shifting its focus to aircraft components.
In 1963, the brand was sold, marking the end of an era. However, in 1987, an Italian entrepreneur revived Bugatti under the name Bugatti Automobili S.p.A., bringing the legendary marque back to life.
Under Ettore Bugatti
Ettore Bugatti, the legendary founder of the Bugatti automobile company, was born in Milan, Italy. In 1909, he established his company in Molsheim, a town in the Alsace region, which was under the German Empire from 1871 to 1919.
Bugatti quickly gained worldwide recognition for its precision engineering and artistic car designs. Ettore’s artistic influence stemmed from his family background—his father, Carlo Bugatti (1856–1940), was a renowned Art Nouveau designer known for his exquisite furniture and jewellery creations. This heritage played a key role in shaping Bugatti’s unique aesthetic and craftsmanship.
World War I and its aftermath
During the war, Ettore Bugatti was relocated to Milan and later to Paris. After the conflict, he returned to his Molsheim factory. With the Versailles Treaty transferring Alsace to France, he showcased his innovations at the 15th Paris Motor Show in October 1919.
At the event, he introduced three new lightweight cars, inspired by pre-war models. Each was equipped with a 1,368cc engine, featuring an overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder. The smallest was the Type 13, a racing model with a 2,000 mm (78.7 in) wheelbase. The other two, Type 22 and Type 23, had 2,250 mm (88.6 in) and 2,400 mm (94.5 in) wheelbases, respectively.
Racing successes
Bugatti cars earned a reputation for excellence in racing. The Bugatti Type 10 made a stunning debut, securing the top four positions in its first race. One of the most legendary racing cars, the 1924 Bugatti Type 35, designed by Ettore Bugatti and Jean Chassagne, debuted at the Grand Prix in Lyon. Bugatti dominated the Targa Florio, winning five consecutive years (1925–1929). Legendary driver Louis Chiron, who frequently raced Bugattis, inspired the name of the 1999 Bugatti 18/3 Chiron concept car. A defining moment came in 1939 when Jean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron secured victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with limited resources and just one car.
Airplane racing
In the 1930s, Ettore Bugatti set out to develop a racing aircraft for the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize. This innovative plane, the Bugatti 100P, was designed by Belgian engineer Louis de Monge but was never flown. De Monge had earlier incorporated Bugatti Brescia engines into his “Type 7.5” lifting body design.
Railcar
Ettore Bugatti also engineered the Autorail Bugatti, a highly successful motorized railcar.
Family tragedy
The tragic death of Jean Bugatti on August 11, 1939, marked a major turning point for the company. He lost his life while testing a Type 57 race car with a tank-style body near the Molsheim factory.
After World War II
World War II devastated the Molsheim factory, leaving it in ruins and stripping the company of its property. During the war, Bugatti planned a new factory in Levallois, near Paris. After the conflict, he introduced new models like the Type 73 road car and Type 73C racer, though only five Type 73 units were ever produced.
Bugatti also worked on a 375 cc supercharged car, but development stopped after Ettore Bugatti’s death on August 21, 1947. His passing accelerated the company’s decline, leading to its final appearance as an independent brand at the Paris Motor Show in October 1952. Ultimately, the original Bugatti company shut down in 1952.
Design
Bugatti models are celebrated for their exquisite design and precision engineering. Each engine block was meticulously hand-scraped to achieve a perfectly flat surface, eliminating the need for gaskets. Many exposed engine components featured intricate guilloché patterns, adding to their artistic appeal.
For enhanced durability, safety wires were carefully threaded through fasteners in complex, laced patterns. Unlike traditional manufacturers who bolted springs to axles, Bugatti innovatively designed axles with openings for the springs to pass through, reducing the number of parts while increasing efficiency. Ettore Bugatti famously dismissed Bentley cars as “the world’s fastest lorries,” firmly believing that “weight was the enemy.
Notable models
| Prototypes | Racing cars | Road cars |
| 1900–1901 Type 2 | 1910–1914 Type 13/Type 15/17/22 | 1910 Type 13 |
| 1903 Type 5 | 1912 Type 16 “Bébé” | 1912–1914 Type 18 |
| 1908 Type 10 “Petit Pur Sang” | 1922–1926 Type 29 “Cigare” | 1913–1914 Type 23/Brescia Tourer (roadster) |
| 1925 Type 36 | 1923 Type 32 “Tank” | 1922–1934 Type 30/38/40/43/44/49 (touring car) |
| 1929–1930 Type 45/47 | 1924–1930 Type 35/35A/35B/35T/35C/37/39 “Grand Prix” | 1927–1933 Type 41 “Royale” |
| Type 56 (electric car) | 1927–1930 Type 52 (electric racer for children) | 1929–1939 Type 46/50/50T (touring car) |
| 1939 Type 64 (coupe) | 1936–1939 Type 57G “Tank” | 1932–1935 Type 55 (roadster) |
| 1943/1947 Type 73C | 1937–1939 Type 50B | 1934–1940 Type 57/57S/Type 57SC (touring car) |
| 1957–1962 Type 252 (2-seat sports convertible) | 1931–1936 Type 53 | 1951–1956 Type 101 (coupe) |
Gallery
Notable finds in the modern era
In 2009, the relatives of Harold Carr made an astonishing discovery—a rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante hidden among his belongings after his passing. This remarkable car originally belonged to British race car driver Earl Howe. Since most of its original parts remained intact, it required minimal replacements during restoration.
On July 10, 2009, another historic Bugatti resurfaced—a 1925 Bugatti Brescia Type 22, which had rested at the bottom of Lake Maggiore between Switzerland and Italy for 75 years. The car was later sold at a Bonhams auction in Paris (2010) for $351,343 and was acquired by the Mullin Museum in Oxnard, California.
Attempts at revival
In the mid-1950s, Roland Bugatti attempted to revive the brand’s racing legacy with the Type 251, a mid-engine race car designed by Gioacchino Colombo. However, the car failed to meet expectations, leading to the company’s exit from automobile production.
During the 1960s, designer Virgil Exner included Bugatti in his “Revival Cars” project. A prototype was built by Ghia using the last Bugatti Type 101 chassis and showcased at the 1965 Turin Motor Show, but the project lacked funding. Exner then shifted his focus to reviving the Stutz brand.
Bugatti transitioned to aeroplane part manufacturing and was sold to Hispano-Suiza in 1963. Later, in 1968, Snecma acquired Hispano-Suiza. In 1977, Snecma merged Bugatti with Messier, creating Messier-Bugatti.
Modern revivals
Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. (1987–1995)
In 1987, Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli acquired the Bugatti brand and established Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. He appointed Giampaolo Benedini to design a modern factory in Campogalliano, Modena, Italy, with construction beginning in 1988 alongside Bugatti’s first new model. The factory officially opened in 1990. By 1989, legendary designers Paolo Stanzani and Marcello Gandini, known for the Lamborghini Miura and Lamborghini Countach, introduced their plans to revive Bugatti.
The first production car of Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. was the Bugatti EB110 GT, featuring a 3.5-litre, quad-turbocharged V12 engine with five valves per cylinder, a six-speed gearbox, and four-wheel drive. Initially, Paolo Stanzani designed an aluminium honeycomb chassis, but after disagreements with President Romano Artioli, he left in June 1990. Nicola Materazzi, known for his work on the Ferrari 288 GTO and Ferrari F40, replaced him, switching the chassis to carbon fiber and adjusting the torque distribution. Mauro Forghieri later served as technical director (1993–1994). On August 27, 1993, Artioli, through ACBN Holdings S.A., acquired Lotus Cars from General Motors, aiming to list Bugatti on global stock exchanges.
In 1993, Bugatti introduced the EB112, a prototype luxury saloon designed to expand its lineup with a high-performance sedan. However, despite its innovative design, the model never entered full production.
One of the most famous owners of the Bugatti EB110 was Michael Schumacher, a seven-time Formula One World Champion. He purchased the car in 1994, but after a serious crash, it was repaired and later sold to Modena Motorsport, a German Ferrari service and race preparation garage.
Economic downturns in North America and Europe impacted Bugatti, leading to its closure in September 1995. Plans for a U.S.-market model, the “Bugatti America,” were abandoned due to financial struggles. Lotus Cars, owned by Bugatti, was sold to Proton of Malaysia.
In 1997, Dauer Racing, a German firm, acquired the EB110 license and remaining parts, producing five enhanced EB110 SS models. The Campogalliano factory was later sold to a furniture company, but it remained vacant after the business failed. In 2011, Toscana-Motors GmbH of Germany purchased the remaining EB110 stock from Dauer.
Former Bugatti vice president Jean-Marc Borel and ex-employees Federico Trombi, Gianni Sighinolfi, and Nicola Materazzi founded B Engineering, developing the Edonis, which used the EB110 SS chassis and engine, modified with a simplified turbocharging system and converted from 4WD to 2WD.
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. (1998–present)
Pre-Veyron
In 1998, the Volkswagen Group acquired the Bugatti brand and established Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. The company enlisted Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign to create its first concept car, the EB118, which debuted at the 1998 Paris Auto Show.
The EB118, a luxury coupé, featured a powerful W-18 engine generating 408 kW (555 PS; 547 bhp). Following its Paris debut, the car was also displayed at the 1999 Geneva Auto Show and the Tokyo Motor Show.
Bugatti continued unveiling concept cars, including the EB 218 at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show and the 18/3 Chiron at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA).
Veyron era (2005–2015)
In September 2005, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. began assembling its first regular production car, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, at its Molsheim, France facility.
This supercar featured an 8-litre W-16 engine with four turbochargers, delivering an impressive 1001 PS.
On 23 February 2015, Bugatti sold the final unit, the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse “La Finale,” marking the official end of the Veyron’s production.
Chiron era (2016–present)
The Bugatti Chiron is a mid-engine, two-seater sports car designed by Achim Anscheidt. Unveiled on March 1, 2016, at the Geneva Motor Show, it was developed as the successor to the Bugatti Veyron.
In February 2024, Bugatti announced the Chiron’s successor, featuring a V16 hybrid-electric powertrain. By June 2024, the new model was officially named the Bugatti Tourbillon.
Conclusion
Bugatti has always represented elegance, innovation, and performance. From its early success in motorsports with iconic models like the Type 35 to its cutting-edge creations such as the Veyron and Chiron, Bugatti has continually redefined automotive engineering. The brand’s unwavering commitment to precision, luxury, and speed has secured its place in automotive history. With the introduction of the Bugatti Tourbillon, the company is set to revolutionize the future of hypercars. Bugatti’s legacy embodies passion, creativity, and an unrelenting pursuit of perfection.
