Bugatti, Bugatti

The original Bugatti brand failed with the coming of World War II, like many high-end marques of the time. The death of Ettore's son Jean was also a contributory factor. The company struggled financially and released one last model in the 1950s before eventually being purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960s. Today the name is owned by Volkswagen Group who have revived it as a builder of very limited production sports cars.

The company was known both for the level of detail of its engineering in its automobiles, and for the artistic way in which the designs were executed, given the artistic nature of Ettore's family (his father, Carlo Bugatti (18561940), was an important Art Nouveau furniture and jewelry designer). The company also enjoyed great success in early Grand Prix motor racing, winning the first ever Monaco Grand Prix. The company's success culminated with driver Jean-Pierre Wimille winning the 24 hours of Le Mans twice (in 1937 with Robert Benoist and 1939 with Pierre Veyron).

Engine blocks were hand scraped to ensure that the surfaces were so flat that gaskets were not required for sealing, to engine turned finishes on many of the exposed surfaces of the engine compartment, and safety wires threaded through almost every fastener in intricately laced patterns. Rather than bolt the springs to the axles as most manufacturers did, Bugatti's axles were forged such that the spring passed though a carefully sized opening in the axle, a much more elegant solution requiring fewer parts. He famously described his arch competitor Bentley's cars as "the world's fastest lorries" for focusing on durability. According to Bugatti, weight was the enemy.

The little Bugatti Type 10 swept the top four positions at its first race. The 1924 Bugatti Type 35 is probably the most successful racing car of all time with over 2,000 wins. Bugattis swept to victory in the Targa Florio for five years straight from 1925 through 1929. Louis Chiron held the most podiums in Bugatti cars, and the 21st century Bugatti company remembered him with a concept car named in his honour. But it was the final racing success at Le Mans that is most rememberedJean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron won the 1939 race with just one car and meagre resources.

Subsequently the company's fortunes began to decline. World War II ruined the factory in Molsheim, and the company lost control of the property. During the war, Bugatti planned a new factory at Levallois in Paris and designed a series of new cars. Ettore Bugatti died on August 21, 1947.

Snecma took over in 1968, later acquiring Messier. The two were merged into Messier-Bugatti in 1977.

The first completed car was labelled the Bugatti EB110 GT, advertised as the most technically advanced sports car ever produced.

A model specific to the United States market called the "Bugatti America" was in the preparatory stages when the company closed.

At the Tokyo Motor Show the EB 218 reappeared and the Bugatti EB 16.4 Veyron was presented as the first incarnation of what was to be a production road car.

In July 2005 Bugatti Automobiles SAS announced that the car would officially be called the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. It was said that the carbuilt in a brand new Bugatti factory in Dorlisheim (located at ) would be delivered to clients in October 2005.

It costs $2.3 million (not including tax) and has an interior designed and crafted by the French leather and silk specialist, Herms. The Fbg in the name stands for Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor, the address of the headquarters for Herms. The Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Herms has no mechanical alterations and is still essentially the Bugatti Veyron 16.4; the only alterations are the calfskin composing the new interior.

Source: Wikipedia > Bugatti