- The design head at Bugatti is open to a modern V16 GT car similar to the Type 57SC Atlantic.
- He believes that the brand will branch out into more low-production vehicles in the near future.
Bugatti might have just made waves with its all-new Tourbillon but it’s not done with headlines. According to the head of design Frank Heyl, the brand could bring a front-engined V16 grand tourer to market. If that reminds you of the Type 57 SC Atlantic then good, because that’s the same one Heyl referenced.
The Tourbillon is a masterpiece of engineering, performance, and design. It takes everything great about the Chiron and somehow turns the dial to 11, or 16 perhaps. It’s that 1,775 horsepower (1800 PS) V16 under the rear decklid that has captured so much attention. In particular, some wonder if Bugatti can use it for more than just a speed-obsessed hypercar.
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“Certainly. I mean, look at the Type 57 SC Atlantic: it’s front-engined. So maybe later, but for now we are super-happy that we went this way,” Heyl said to Autocar. The idea of a super-low production GT car in the same vein as the Atlantic is in line with other Bugatti models from recent years. In fact, it’s why the Sur Measure division exists.
“We started, with Bolide, bringing coachbuilding back by using a drivetrain or rolling chassis and dressing it up in a different design. We continued to change with the Centodieci, and La Voiture Noire was crazy as a one-off car, and who knows what will come,” Heyl continued.
Several automakers have turned to bespoke creations in recent years. The Tourbillon already carries a price tag of $4.1 million. If Rolls Royce could charge $20 million for the “Droptail” coupe, what could Bugatti charge for a bespoke, front-engine V16-enhanced car? Probably more, considering the powertrain.
Heyl concluded the discussion saying “That’s an interesting aspect and it’s a growing market, and it’s especially relative to the kind of breed of customer that Bugatti serves – this aspect of ultimate individuality is very, very important. We’d like to develop the brand into a Couture – few-off, one-off, unique – kind of thing.” It’s certainly on its way to doing exactly that.
