Bugatti Tourbillon: balancing heritage, design and innovation

Explore how Bugatti's Chief Exterior Designer Jan Schmid redefines the brand's design language with the Tourbillon, blending classic DNA with modern engineering.

Bugatti has unveiled a new vision of harmony between form and function, showing how the brand’s heritage can coexist with the technologies of the future. The Tourbillon hypercar is not merely a successor to the legendary Chiron but a statement of evolution in both aesthetics and engineering.

Chief Exterior Designer Jan Schmid explains that the team’s mission was to find a balance between tradition and progress: “It was about discovering that sweet spot where a Bugatti remains true to itself while looking ahead.” Every line of the Tourbillon serves a purpose; every detail is shaped with intent.

The iconic horseshoe grille, now lower and wider, preserves recognition while adding aerodynamic logic — channeling airflow and even integrating a number plate without disrupting proportions. The central line, tracing back to the Type 57 SC Atlantic, runs along the entire body, ending in an integrated brake light.

The silhouette of the Tourbillon plays with motion and light. The distinctive Bugatti Line sweeping around the greenhouse gives the impression of leaping forward, while the brand’s historic duotone paint adds expression and balance. The side contours, inspired by the Veyron’s proportions, emphasize both lightness and strength.

The headlights, mounted on so-called “flying fenders,” demonstrate the fusion of design and aerodynamics: visually defining the car’s face while channeling air toward the radiators. At the rear, active aerodynamics, an exposed V16 engine layout, and a razor-thin LED strip of 124 elements complete the sculpture of performance.

Beneath the surface lies a new hybrid system — a naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V16 developed with Cosworth, paired with three electric motors for a combined output of around 1,800 horsepower. Despite sharing dimensions with the Chiron, the Tourbillon sits lower and offers more space, maintaining a perfect equilibrium between beauty and performance.

For Bugatti, the Tourbillon is more than a car — it is a manifesto. It proves that even in an electrified era, the brand can preserve the spirit of mechanical artistry. The latest episode of the A New Era documentary series captures this philosophy: beauty emerges where form and function become one.