“Les Légendes De Bugatti”: Jean Bugatti
At the IAA in Frankfurt in 2013, Bugatti unveiled the second model in its exclusive Legends edition. Share
This model honoured Jean Bugatti. He was the eldest son of the company founder, Ettore Bugatti, and a gifted car designer. From the late 1920s, his personal construction and design ideas had an increasingly important influence on the development of the Molsheim-based company. He became head of the company at the age of 27 in 1936 and secured his place in motoring history with his bodyshells and designs for pioneering engines and chassis before dying in a tragic road accident in 1939.
The Legends car is reminiscent of the “La Voiture Noire” version of the Type 57SC Atlantic, which has been lost since the Second World War. The Atlantic was Jean Bugatti’s most famous creation – one of the most exclusive and extraordinary sport coupés ever, and now one of the world’s most expensive vintage models. Only 3 models still exist today.
Elegance & sporting flair
The body of the “Jean Bugatti” Legends Vitesse is made of jet black visible carbon which exudes elegance and cutting-edge craftsmanship. The use of platinum on the bodyshell is an extravagant touch: the famous Bugatti horseshoe on the front grille and the EB logo on the rear are made of gleaming platinum. This was the first time that Bugatti used this precious material for the exterior of a modern model. The elegant, minimalist appearance is accentuated by the wheels, with black, diamond-cut rims. As a reference to the man who inspired this Legends model, Jean Bugatti’s signature was laser-engraved onto the petrol and oil filler caps and painted arctic grey.
Exquisite elegance & the finest materials
The interior was also designed to be as faithful as possible to the original “La Voiture Noire”. The entire interior is lined with leather in subtle shades of beige and brown. The elaborate embroidery designs on the doors and the lid on the rear storage compartment showing side and bird’s eye views of the outline of the Type 57SC are extremely impressive. The love of detail and commitment to using the very finest materials are evident inside the car on the steering wheel, where the EB logo also appears in gleaming platinum. The gearstick is made of finest rosewood, just like in the Atlantic.
