2008. That's when Bugatti made these scale models for what was to become the Chiron. At that time, the almighty Veyron had been in production for just three years but work was already underway for its replacement. It wasn't until 2016 that we all saw the final design under the glamorous lights of the now-defunct Geneva Motor Show.
We got a hint of the car's appearance at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show where Bugatti displayed the Vision Gran Turismo. Now, the Molsheim-based marque has unearthed some early design proposals that are already 16 years old. These tiny images depict 1:4 scale models made back in the day, some two years even before the release of the record-breaking Veyron Super Sport.
Speaking of the Veyron, you can see its influence in the rear design of some of the scale models featuring quad taillights. One of the design proposals left on the cutting room floor had curved taillights mounted at the corners of the rear end. It’s easy to observe how much Bugatti experimented with the rear lights, varying from “C” and hexagonal shapes to round ones on top of each other. You can also spot an early version of the thin LED horizontal strip the Chiron eventually got.
Bugatti was just as playful with the headlights, including double vertical strips and various other shapes that didn't make the cut. The Chiron's quad squares are not visible on any of these scale models, which makes sense since there were others closer to the final design that Bugatti isn't sharing.
If there's one thing the scale models have in common, it's the design of the wheels. Interestingly, not all design proposals incorporated the signature C-shaped "Bugatti line." Also missing from some of the cars were the front and rear central fins. The glorious quad-turbo W-16 8.0-liter engine is quite exposed on a few scale models compared to what the Chiron ended up with.
Why is Bugatti revealing these abandoned design proposals after so many years? The National Automuseum The Loh Collection will organize a two-day seminar about the hypercar's design evolution. Never-before-seen drawings and photos of design models from 2004-2023 will be publicly displayed, and former Bugatti design boss Achim Anscheidt will be there to provide a history lesson about how the Chiron came to be.
The event in Dietzhölztal, Germany takes place on November 8-9 and Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac will attend the seminar as well.
