Bugatti – A Century of Speed, From Classic Models to Modern Marvels

Some cars are legends from the moment the engines roar to life, and Bugatti is a brand that’s defined that legacy. Over the years, they’ve given us beasts on four wheels that shattered limits and rewrote the rules of what cars could do. I’m talking about machines like the EB110, a car that tore up Paris streets on the 110th birthday of Ettore Bugatti himself, or the groundbreaking Veyron, with its 253 mph top speed that stunned the world. These weren’t just vehicles; they were high-speed artworks, created with a precision and power only Bugatti could achieve.

This isn’t just a trip through Bugatti Models. It’s a journey through machines that practically breathed on their own—some classic and iconic, some never released to the world, and others carrying the torch today as the most exclusive supercars ever made. Welcome to Bugatti’s world, a world where every detail counts, and each new model is the stuff of dreams.

Modern Super Performance Bugatti Models

1. Bugatti EB110

The Bugatti EB110 isn’t just any mid-engine sports car. Unveiled in ‘91 on the grand stage of Paris, this machine changed the supercar game forever. Imagine the scene: one of these sleek beauties rolling down the Champs Élysées on Ettore Bugatti’s 110th birthday, a powerful tribute to the genius himself. And those scissor doors? Dramatic doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Now, the Bugatti EB110 GT was no ordinary car – we’re talking about a 3.5-liter V12 engine with four turbochargers, all packed in an ultra-light carbon monocoque. You could feel the power even just looking at it. It held its own with a top speed of 351 km/h, snagging a world record as the fastest production sports car. But that’s not all; it roared from 0 to 100 km/h in a mind-boggling 3.26 seconds, breaking yet another record at the time for the fastest acceleration. Bugatti wasn’t playing around.

They say timing is everything, though. Despite its unmatched power and the jaw-dropping price tag, the early ‘90s wasn’t the best time to sell super sports cars. The market dried up fast, and the EB110’s production came to an end in just four years. Yet, here we are, decades later, and the legacy is stronger than ever. Owning one of these today is like holding a piece of automotive history, a symbol of an era that pushed boundaries and created legends.

• Bugatti Eb110 engine: 3.5-liter V12
• Bugatti Eb110 power: 552 hp and 602 hp
• Bugatti Eb110 0-62 mph: 326 seconds
• Bugatti EB 110 top speed: 351 km/h
• Bugatti Eb110 units: 134
• Bugatti EB 110 price: 450 million lira for GT and 550 million lira for Super Sport

2. Bugatti Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron is more than just a fast-paced supercar—it’s the definition of groundbreaking. With a beastly quad-turbocharged W16 engine, this machine cranks out 1001 HP and delivers a jaw-dropping 922 lb-ft of torque. When you press down on that pedal, the Bugatti Veyron’s top speed hits an insane 253 MPH—and if you’re counting, it rockets from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.46 seconds. It’s almost unbelievable that this level of power is balanced with such precision, given that it’s engineered with 10 radiators and two types of brakes bolted in, all meticulously designed to handle this much raw force.

And talk about exclusivity. Bugatti only ever produced 450 units, making this car a unicorn in the world of super sports cars. The 2006 Bugatti Veyron specifically holds a special place, as it famously set the record for the fastest street-legal production car back in 2010. Sure, that record may have stirred some debate with the arrival of challengers like the Koenigsegg, but the Veyron still claims its legendary status. The Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse even snagged the title of the fastest roadster globally!

Named after Pierre Veyron, a French Grand Prix racer, this icon was developed with unmatched vision by Jozef Kaban, who’s now lending his genius to Rolls-Royce. If you’re curious about how much a Bugatti Veyron costs, well, let’s say it’s got a supercar price tag that aligns with its performance. Compared to the modern Bugattis, you can consider the Veyron one of the cheapest in the French automaker’s roster. However, it is still not a car that most people can afford. The Veyrons and Chirons are the two most famous Bugatti cars most celebrities still love to own.

• Bugatti Veyron engine: 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16
• Bugatti Veyron power: 1001 hp
• Bugatti Veyron 0-62 mph: 2.5 seconds
• Bugatti Veyron top speed: 253 mph
• Bugatti Veyron units: 450
• Bugatti Veyron price: $1.7 million

3. Bugatti Chiron

The Bugatti Chiron, a masterpiece bearing the name of legendary Monégasque driver Louis Chiron, is a sight to behold. Inspired by the 1999 Bugatti 18/3 Chiron and 2015’s Vision Gran Turismo concept, its design lineage is pure power in motion. The Chiron’s numbers are equally jaw-dropping—this beast rockets from 0-100 km/h in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 2.4 seconds. Even more astounding, it goes 0-200 km/h in 6.5 seconds, reaching 300 km/h in just 13.6 seconds! In 2017, Bugatti set a world record with the Chiron by hitting 400 km/h in only 32.6 seconds, then decelerating to zero in a mere 9.4 seconds, a feat that few hypercars could dream of matching.

The Chiron’s top speed is capped at 420 km/h (261 mph) electronically, though, unrestrained, it pushes the boundaries of speed and luxury alike. And for those wanting a glimpse into Bugatti’s engineering excellence, the Chiron Super Sport 300+ broke barriers as the first production car to top 300 mph—giving a nod to Bugatti’s dedication to redefining “fast.” The story is the same for the Chiron in the Forza 5.

So, how much is a Bugatti Chiron? Well, with a starting price of $2.43 million, a $200,000 deposit was mandatory even before the ink dries, yet that didn’t slow buyers. In fact, all 200 of the initial Chirons sold out long before the first car even reached its new owner.

Inside, the Chiron’s cabin offers an interior worthy of a king. And the engine? With horsepower that’s off the charts, you’ll see why it’s known as a tour de force in hypercar circles. For those who love the speed but not the risk, you can get a taste of Bugatti with the Lego Bugatti Chiron—a way to own a piece of that history at home.

• Bugatti Chiron engine: 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16
• Bugatti Chiron power: 1,479 hp
• Bugatti Chiron 0-62 mph: 2.4 seconds
• Bugatti Chiron top speed: 261 mph
• Bugatti Chiron units: 500
• Bugatti Chiron price: $2.43 million

4. Bugatti Mistral

The Mistral is like a closing chapter, but one that reads with the thrill of an opening line. See, this isn’t just another hypercar; it’s the very last of Bugatti’s quad-turbo W-16 models, and there’s nothing else like it. When Volkswagen Group handed Bugatti over to Rimac, it wasn’t hard to see that this incredible, gas-guzzling era was almost over. But wow, what a way to say goodbye! The Bugatti Mistral roadster, revealed at Pebble Beach, takes that legendary Chiron DNA, strips off the roof, and ends with an open-air roar that’s nothing short of theatrical.

Now, the Mistral may look like a convertible Chiron, but trust me, it’s not just about chopping the roof. This hypercar features a revamped, aggressive front end inspired by designs from Bugatti’s La Voiture Noire (one of the priciest cars in the world) and Divo models. That means the Mistral’s not all beauty—it’s something closer to a predator on wheels.

I mean, you look at those fender-mounted lights and that iconic horseshoe grille, and it’s like, this car owns the road before it’s even touched it. Even the cut-down, visor-like windshield screams speed.

And at $5 million each, yep, every one of these Bugatti Mistrals is already sold out, with production capped at just 99 units. It’s Bugatti’s classic 8.0-liter W-16, with Bugatti mistral top speed aspirations north of 260 mph. Bugatti hinted it could hit 260, and you can bet they’re gunning for the title of “fastest roadster in the world”—aiming to outdo the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse that set a 254 mph record back in 2013.

Also read: Interesting Bugatti Facts

• Bugatti Mistral engine: Quad-turbo W16
• Bugatti Mistral power: 1,578 hp
• Bugatti Mistral 0-60: 2.4 seconds approx.
• Bugatti Mistral top speed: at least 260 mph
• Bugatti Mistral units: 99
• Bugatti Mistral price: $5 million, the most expensive Bugatti of present times

Bugatti Classic Cars – Historic Bugattis that Never Went for Production

When Volkswagen took over Bugatti, they only launched two main models: the Veyron and Chiron. There were also limited editions like the Divo, Centodieci, Bolide, and Mistral. But behind closed doors, the team brainstormed about expanding. Most of these ideas never went public, except for the Galibier sports saloon, which was shown at car shows. Ultimately, Bugatti decided against putting any of these models into production. Still, head designer Achim Anscheidt kept sketching new designs. He and his team recently gave Autoblog an exclusive glimpse into their design studio, where they revealed three unseen concepts. While two never left the design phase, the Atlantic showed what a front-engine Bugatti could look like next to the Chiron.

Also Read: Best American Muscle Cars

1. Bugatti Type 57 Aérolithe

In 1935, Bugatti made quite a splash at the Paris Motor Show, presenting a prototype called the Aérolithe Compétition Coupé. This car wasn’t just displayed—it was an exhibit and was later destroyed. The idea behind it was pretty groundbreaking. Bugatti planned to build the Aérolithe and other Type 57S models using an alloy called Electron, a mix of magnesium and aluminum, sourced from Germany’s IG Farben.

Electron is light, a third of aluminum’s weight, but there was a catch—it’s flammable. Welding couldn’t be done on it. So, each piece had to be riveted together. Rather than hide this, designer Jean Bugatti actually made the rivets a part of the design, especially on the car’s wings.

2. Bugatti Type 252

The Type 252 was quite a unique sports car. Bugatti developed this two-seat convertible between 1957 and 1962, but it never got beyond the prototype stage. Roland Bugatti was behind the study that led to its design, while Giovanni Michelotti designed it. Apparently, Bugatti tried to find investors but never got the backing. This old Bugatti had a 1.5-liter inline 4 engine and front-rear MacPherson strut suspension, but it had all kinds of engine issues during testing. Only one ever existed.

3. Bugatti Atlantic

The “Atlantic” name actually goes way back to the days of Bugatti’s founder, Ettore Bugatti. In the 1930s, they built just four models based on the Type 57. For Monterey Car Week in 2015, Anscheidt reimagined this classic as a sleek, front-engine coupe with an eight-cylinder engine and transaxle design, intended to sit below the Chiron as a touring model. The Atlantic’s design borrowed the Chiron’s C-line accents and LED headlights, but added butterfly doors for a unique touch.

Bugatti even printed promotional posters for a potential convertible version, which still hang in their design center. Oddly, just before its planned Pebble Beach debut, the Atlantic was shelved indefinitely. The Volkswagen diesel scandal, which broke shortly after, forced Bugatti to halt costly projects, including the Atlantic, which ultimately found a home in Bugatti’s secret car depot.

Bugatti Concept Cars

1. Bugatti Veyron Barchetta

Next, there was the Veyron Barchetta, a concept that didn’t get past the digital design phase. Based on the Veyron Grand Sport, it could’ve come out in a limited run, though every Veyron model had already been pre-sold. Its styling hinted at the Divo, like the unique LED lights and bold air vents. The Barchetta’s low windshield gave it a wide, open feel, and behind the seats, two air intakes fed the W16 engine. Bugatti’s CEO at the time, Wolfgang Dürheimer, wasn’t keen on such limited runs, but later, Stephan Winkelmann—who came from Lamborghini—championed low-volume models when he joined Bugatti.

2. Bugatti W16 Coupe

Finally, the W16 Coupe concept was a modern take on the Atlantic, similar in size but powered by the Chiron’s W16 engine, mounted in front. Although Bugatti never finalized a name, Anscheidt estimated its price at over $15 million. This design eventually inspired Winkelmann’s ‘La Voiture Noire,’ a bespoke concept revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

Want to read more: 5 Concept Cars in Automotive History

Bugatti Race Cars

1. Bugatti Type 73C

The automaker spent the war years planning it with designers Noel Domboy and Antoine Pichetto, dreaming of a new racing car with a supercharged 1.5-liter 16-valve engine. The production seemed close in 1944. The Type 73C was set to be Bugatti’s comeback, but the death of Ettore Bugatti in August that year ended it all. An engine-less Type 73 made it to the 1947 Paris Motor Show, though. If it could drive, it would have been a rarest gem. Production plans included twenty units, but Ettore’s death left the Type 73C project incomplete.

2. 1930 Bugatti Type 45 Bi Motor

Bugatti wanted to increase displacement but didn’t want to redesign their engines. So, they went ahead with something called a U-engine. It was essentially two inline engines linked together by gears, which was a strange setup back then. The downside? Extra weight and some power got wasted in those gears. But the upside? They could use many of the same parts, which saved time and money.

The Type 45 had this engine setup. Basically, it mashed together two supercharged Type 35 Grand Prix engines and put out 250 bhp. A beast, but not perfect. That big motor had to sit in a typical lightweight Bugatti chassis, but it didn’t really fit the car’s usual style. Handling and weight balance were probably all messed up. Only one full car like this got built, along with another chassis that never became a full car.

For decades, the Type 45 stayed in France with the Schlumpf collection. Eventually, it left and underwent a major restoration. Afterward, it showed up at Pebble Beach Concours in 2003.

Final Words

Bugatti proves that engineering and art don’t need to stand apart—they can dance together seamlessly. You look at their cars, like the old-school Type 57 Aérolithe, and then jump to the Chiron, and it’s clear: passion and skill mesh here. It’s not just about crazy speed or dripping luxury, either. These cars tell stories, push the edge, and honestly, make you dream wild. Maybe you’re obsessed with the new Mistral or just into cool Bugatti trivia; doesn’t matter. Each car seems to whisper: think bigger, build better, and chase the impossible. Bugatti isn’t just cars—it’s vision.