Bugatti has been releasing a series of episodes over the past year, highlighting the engineering, design, and execution behind the Tourbillon, the French marque’s latest hypercar, all 250 examples of which have already been spoken for.
So far, the series has covered everything from aerodynamics to exterior design influences and even featured CEO Mate Rimac himself giving an overview of the new V16 engine. The latest episode focuses on some of the details of the Tourbillon’s exquisite interior, its deliberate pursuit of timelessness, and the watch-inspired gauge cluster from which this Bugatti hypercar takes its name.
“Just like any precious timepiece, a Bugatti vehicle needs to be timeless; these objects pass from generation to generation. With the Tourbillon, it needs to preserve its own character, not following any trends. That’s why, in this digital age, we decided to pursue analogue technology – where the art of watchmaking meets digital detox.” -. Design Director Frank Heyl, Bugatti.
Inside the Tourbillon, Bugatti’s iconic center line and C line converge to form a clear division between driver and passenger, a detail also seen in the outgoing W16-powered Chiron. A horizontal color split reinforces the separation, while newly developed fabrics for the seats and door panels sit alongside supple leather. Bugatti refers to this philosophy as “car couture,” translating the logic of haute couture into a tailored automotive interior.
The analog theme culminates in the steering wheel and instrument cluster. The fixed hub steering wheel allows the rim to rotate freely around a stationary airbag while integrating controls and paddle shifters. Beneath it sits a fully analog gauge cluster, developed with Swiss master watchmakers, featuring milled aluminum casings, skeletonized mechanisms, and crystal displays. Speaking of displays, the central screen does exist, although it mostly stays hidden away behind the dashboard and can be deployed at the flick of a button.
“The role of an interior designer is to, of course, design a full vehicle cabin from the first sketches all the way to production. But we need to consider many aspects in this journey – not only Bugatti’s DNA, and making sure we honor all of the marque’s stylistic cues, but also develop a theme; a user sequence that is understandable.” – Chief Interior Designer Ignacio Martinez, Bugatti.
Martinez further states that during the design process, the team also had to take into account critical modern-day safety requirements, while maintaining that core design ethos for a marque like Bugatti, desirability and long-term prestige matter as much as outright performance. In 50 years, a screen and its embedded technology may feel obsolete or unusable. However, with everything connecting back to the world of Horology and that semantic link, it should ensure that the Tourbillon’s cabin stays relevant for decades to come.
Images: Bugatti
