The story behind the Tourbillon.
The Bugatti Tourbillon, the marque’s third act, debuted last year as the ultimate mic-drop moment. It set the tone for Monterey Car Week, incorporating a sleek new body, an interior devoid of screens, and a naturally aspirated engine and electric motor combo that promises as much engagement as it does speed. However, unlike seven-figure machines that chase lap times or performance figures, the Tourbillon isn’t just for today; Bugatti wants it to be relevant a century from now.
Last year, during The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, we sat down with Bugatti Director of Design Frank Heyll to discuss how to build a timeless machine.
dR: Before the Tourbillon took shape, what inspired you and your team, and how did it shape its build and design?
FH: If we look at the way these cars have endured the decades, and sometimes centuries in these collections, there’s one thing that is at the root of every designer’s thinking. It’s the concept of time machines. Yesterday, we were at Laguna Seca, and there was a Type 35 from 1924, and it’s here in the year 2024.
This thing is 100 years old. It’s no exaggeration or marketing. It’s a crazy thing. They’ll still be around after we’re all dead. You have to take that into account to make them timeless.
dR: How do you ensure that a car will be timeless so far into the future?
FH: Trying to avoid technology, and showing technology. That’s where the idea for the turning machined interface came from. When you open the door, it’s a digital detox. It’s something that can’t be dated. So we have a little screen if you want to have Apple CarPlay, but you can also hit a switch, and it’s gone. In 100 years, you won’t even use it, and the car will function without it.
Number 2, it needs to be authentic, and through being genuine, it can be timeless. That’s why there are analog dials and needles; it’s like an exquisite watch.
dR: When it comes to cars this powerful and expensive, has performance become less important than its design and interior materials?
FH: It’s going to be plenty fast, and it’s easy to say what I’m going to say now if you have those numbers, but it’s almost not that relevant anymore. From now on, these things will be faster than you can drive them. And so, if that’s not the thing, what is it?
It’s not something you can put in ones and zeros. It’s human things, emotional things. How do you perceive all of these sensations that we’re offering you? How do you feel when you sit in the driver’s seat? The way the leather smells, the weight of the controls. If you click a gear selector, does it feel like pulling the trigger on a sniper rifle? That’s why we went with a naturally aspirated 9,000-rpm 64-valve piece of art. Because you want to hear the sound. You want to be immersed in the vibration. So it’s about appealing to your senses, and you can’t put that in numbers.
This article appeared in our January 2025 Issue.
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