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It may not be evident to most but Bugatti’s connection to aviation and the skilled pilots of the past is quite close. Founder, Ettore Bugatti had huge admiration for pilots at the time and was inspired to recreate the same speed sensations in his cars, and in turn admired for his skill and craftsmanship by those very pilots.
He had actually designed aircraft engines and an aircraft ready to take on speed records when the second world war broke out, halting those plans.
New Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann said:
“Bugatti has had close associations with aviation since the company was established more than 110 years ago. Many successful Bugatti racing drivers, such as Albert Divo, Robert Benoist and Bartolomeo ‘Meo’ Costantini, flew for the French Air Force, the French aviator legend Roland Garros privately drove a Bugatti Type 18 to be as fast on the road as in the air.”
The “Les Légendes du Ciel“ edition is based on the Chiron Sport featuring a unique matt-grey “Gris Serpent” paintwork harking back to the greys often seen on aircraft from the 1920s. This is punctuated by a large centred white stripe.
The front wings are adorned with the “Les Légendes du Ciel“ logo while the “Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge” (Blue, White and Red) tricolour is seen on the front of the side skirts made of exposed black carbon fibre.
The radiator mesh for the grill is laser cut aluminium in a pattern reflected in the stitching of the leather seats. There’s plenty of other touches such as the black exposed carbon fibre engine cover.
Bugatti uses fine “Gaucho” leather inside again harking back to the natural leather colour often seen inside aircraft at the time. The “Les Légendes du Ciel” logo is seen on the headrests.
The door panels have another graphic, this time a hand-sketched racing scene between the Nieuport 17 aircraft and a Bugatti Type 13.
Only 20 of the “Les Légendes du Ciel” Chiron Sport editions will be sold, and most likely have found buyers already but if you’re super keen, you’ll need to fork out €2.88 million ($4.67m AUD / £2.57m GBP / $3.43m USD).
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