For 19 years, Achim Anscheidt has been the guiding hand behind Bugatti’s design. Joining as the director of design in 2004, his tenure began with the launch of the Veyron and will soon end just before the retirement of the Chiron. Throughout this time, he has created an impressive collection of rare and unique hypercars bearing the Bugatti badge. To honor his contributions, Bugatti has created a captivating video showcasing his work, which has been shared on social media. In the video, we witness the transformation of the Veyron and Chiron through various special editions and individual models. Pay close attention to these transitions, as there are a few surprises along the way.
It’s important to note that Anscheidt’s work doesn’t solely involve production Bugattis. The video starts with the Veyron Grand Sport, then moves through the Super Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse before reaching the Chiron. However, before the Chiron, we must not forget the Bugatti Galibier concept from 2009. This four-door, four-seat vehicle showed promise but never made it to production due to Volkswagen, Bugatti’s parent company, not approving of its design. Despite this setback, Anscheidt continued on with the Chiron. But we still don’t immediately transition to the Chiron in the video. Instead, we are introduced to the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo concept, which was created for the Gran Turismo Sport racing game on the Playstation 4. However, this concept was not just virtual. A real-life model was built using a Chiron prototype and debuted in 2015, serving as a preview of the Veyron’s successor.
Next, the video showcases the Bugatti Atlantic concept, an intriguing vehicle that was envisioned as a front-engined companion to the mid-engine Chiron. It featured a long hood with V8 power underneath but remained undisclosed due to the VW diesel emissions scandal. In 2020, it resurfaced, and we are pleased to see it included in this design tribute to Anscheidt. From this point on, the video focuses on familiar territory. The Chiron, which debuted in 2016, has set the benchmark for luxury hypercars with its 1,600-hp W16 engine. Anscheidt has also created numerous coachbuilt models like the Divo, Bolide, Centodieci, and the unique La Voiture Noire, among others. However, Anscheidt’s legacy is not yet complete. Under his guidance, development of the Chiron’s successor began two years ago. Bugatti recently confirmed that this next-generation hypercar will be unveiled in 2024, with production commencing in 2026.