A legend of the automotive industry, even six years after his death: Ferdinand Karl Piëch, born in Vienna on April 17, 1937, was fascinated by technology from an early age—a passion that would define his entire life. He studied mechanical engineering in Zurich and began his career at Porsche, where he played a key role in the development of the legendary Porsche 917.
With innovations such as the five-cylinder engine, TDI technology, and quattro all-wheel drive, he shaped Audi and eventually became Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG in 1993, making him one of the most influential figures in the automotive world.
Piëch’s rise to power was just the beginning. In 1997, on a Shinkansen express train between Tokyo and Nagoya, the German exec sketched an idea on the back of an envelope that would change the automotive industry. In a conversation with Karl-Heinz Neumann, then head of powertrain development at VW, he sketched an 18-cylinder engine. Powerful, revolutionary, and unlike anything that had come before. This concept marked the birth of the powertrain that would later evolve into the legendary Bugatti W-16.
Photo by: Bugatti
The VW exec’s fascination with pushing technological boundaries went deep. He envisioned a car capable of producing 1,000 hp and reaching speeds of 400 km/h (248 mph) without losing the refinement and usability of a luxury grand tourer. This was an idea that no existing vehicle architecture could support, and required a completely new approach to engineering.
In his search for a car brand that could embody his bold vision, Piëch considered Bentley and Rolls-Royce. But during his Easter holiday in 1997, fate intervened when his son Gregor insisted on buying a toy model of a Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic. Enthusiastic, Piëch recognized Bugatti—a name synonymous with performance and luxury like no other—as the ideal brand for his project.
On May 5, 1998, the trademark rights to Bugatti were secured and the relevant contracts were signed. Ferdinand K. Piëch then commissioned his friend, the renowned designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, to develop a concept that would embody his vision. Giugiaro had already designed the EB112 for the Bugatti brand under Romano Artioli, which wasn’t put into production due to financial problems. This served as the basis for the first “VW-Bugatti.”
Bugatti EB 118 Concept (1998)
Bugatti EB 218 Concept (1999)
The result was the Bugatti EB 118—a two-door coupé whose model name refers to the 18-cylinder engine. To the surprise of the public, the vehicle was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 1998, just a few months after Volkswagen AG acquired the brand.
A second 18-cylinder concept car followed in March 1999 at the Geneva Motor Show: the EB 218 luxury sedan. In September of the same year, Bugatti presented the EB 18/3 Chiron supercar at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The rearrangement of the numbers in the model name was due to trademark reasons, as the number 318 was already protected by another manufacturer, BMW.
Bugatti EB 18/3 Chiron Concept (1999)
The concepts just kept coming. In October 1999, the EB 18/4 Veyron was presented at the Tokyo Motor Show, the car that would ultimately form the basis for the later production model. Unlike the previous studies, this design didn’t originate from Giugiaro, but was created under the direction of Hartmut Warkuß. The shape itself was created by young Czech designer Jozef Kabaň.
In 2000, Ferdinand K. Piëch announced that Bugatti would build a production vehicle with 1,001 hp and a top speed of over 400 km/h. The real challenge, however, lay not only in the technical excellence. Rather, it was to fulfill Piëch’s specifications: to create a car that could travel 400 km/h in the morning and be suitable for a stylish drive to the opera with his wife in the evening.
His goal was clear: Bugatti should deliver the extraordinary, the unsurpassed, the optimal. Every vehicle had to be a one-of-a-kind. Incomparable and unique. “That’s the only thing Bugatti can do,” he once wrote.
Photo by: Bugatti
In 2005, Piëch’s vision became reality. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 was unveiled to the world and set new standards in performance, speed, and luxury. With a top speed of 407 km/h (253 mph) and acceleration from 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds, it was the fastest production car in the world—and confirmed Bugatti’s claim to technological excellence.
Beyond the numbers, the Veyron was more than a technical marvel; it was the embodiment of Prof. Dr. Ferdinand K. Piëch’s relentless pursuit of perfection. Even today, two decades later, the Veyron’s legacy remains unsurpassed. It was a revolution, the origin of the hyper sports car, and a testament to what’s possible when technical genius meets an uncompromising vision.
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch led Bugatti back to the pinnacle of automotive engineering and restored the brand’s historical significance as the epitome of performance and luxury. And it all began with his unwavering will to create the extraordinary.
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