110 years of power and luxury
Bugatti is a name that in the 21st century still evokes Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean’s models like Veyron, Chiron and more elite cars like Divo, Centodieci or even the unique edition of La. Voiture Noire.
But the world is changing, and as most car brands change their logo and identity, even Bugatti is affected. A new identity inspired by its roots.
A sign of genius
Ettore Bugatti (1881-1947) is the legendary founder of the Bugatti factories, the creator of the most successful sports cars of all time. He is considered one of the main pioneers of automobile construction and is known for his visionary projects.
Ettore had a passion for mechanics from an early age. After school, he began training at the Prinetti & Stucchi bicycle factory. At the age of 17, Ettore equips a tricycle with a motor. Other constructions and with them the first car races will continue.
Accelerated training
In 1901, Bugatti exhibited its first car in Milan, developed with the help of the Gulinelli brothers. A project that failed when one of the brothers died. He sold the building license again to De Dietrich in Alsace. Ettore was not yet 21 years old at the time, his father Carlo Bugatti signed the employment contract.
Young Ettore works wonders, but also spends a lot of time racing, so his employer condemns him and wants to devote himself to production cars. Ettore goes to Emil Mathis, then Deutz. But having developed the first small Type 10 Safcins in his basement, he is already looking ahead.
The most successful car of all time!
In 1909, he set out in Molsheim (Bas-Rhin) and built his factory. Models follow each other, such as the Bébé, designed by Bugatti and produced under license from Peugeot, which is very successful.
During World War I, Bugatti developed aircraft engines for the French and Americans. The number of employees reaches 1000 and the Type 35 establishes itself as a masterpiece. It features a horseshoe-shaped grille or aluminum wheels.
From January 24 to September 19 of the following year, the car won more than 500 victories. It is the most successful car of all time. Bugattis are becoming references all over the world. The Bugatti Royale and all its siblings have been the dream of several generations of enthusiasts.
But the war passed and Ettore Bugatti died of pneumonia in 1947 at the age of 66. The brand dies after a few years.
Bugatti sees more than all luxury cars. Photo by SP Bugatti
1987, the year of the return
Only in 1987, entrepreneur and car dealer Romano Artioll acquired the rights to the Bugatti brand and founded Bugatti Automobili SpA.
The company presents the EB110 model on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the birth of Ettore Bugatti on September 15, 1991 in Paris. With 12 cylinders and 560 horsepower, it confirms itself as a real supercar.
Only 140 cars are produced, but the company goes bankrupt. Only in 1998, the Volkswagen group took this name and developed the Veyron. Bugatti is definitely coming back later.
Carrying on the tradition
Today, Bugatti still uses the horseshoe with its logo almost unchanged. But it’s time to dust off the marketing, as confirmed by Henrik Malinowski: “We didn’t just create a new design for our brand. We went back to our roots, to this connection to our history – a history that we relied heavily on when we repositioned the brand in the 2000s.
At that time, we built everything around the Veyron and the eccentricity of Ettore Bugatti in a unique way in 2005 and beyond. We tried to assess how the Chiron changed the position and appeal of the Bugatti brand, but also how the world itself has changed over the past decade. Remember: There was no iPhone when the Veyron was introduced. »
The brand is moving away from the status of a car manufacturer to become a luxury brand. Photo by SP Bugatti
A more modern design
A new design that is more in line with where Bugatti is today and where the brand wants to go in the future. But the brand insists on one point: Bugatti only produces works of art, and the brand always ensures that its customers have a completely unique experience, according to Ettore Bugatti’s motto: “If it can be compared, it is no longer a Bugatti.”
But with this new brand identity, Bugatti aims to be above all just a luxury brand and to get out of the car altogether. Bugatti wants to build a close relationship with its customers. The new bright blue Bugatti is a reminder of its French origins, with the emblematic “EB” logo created from Ettore Bugatti’s initials.
Bugatti’s new image will be shared at dealerships, and the new logo has already appeared on social networks.
