Frank Heyl Discusses the Timeless Design and Performance of Bugatti’s Tourbillon

The latest episode of the new series premiered on YouTube on July 25th, offering viewers a glimpse into the world of Bugatti design through the eyes of Frank Heyl, Director of Design. Heyl shares the excitement and challenges involved in creating a new iteration of the quintessential Bugatti design philosophy.

“With over 115 years of Bugatti history, there is a rich legacy of design DNA that we can reference; we have a guiding line emphasizing what defines a Bugatti,” Heyl explains. “What we need to take into account is this: form always follows performance.”

Every modern Bugatti design, including the Tourbillon, embodies the principle of being ‘shaped by speed.’ The Tourbillon’s entire architecture, from its curves to its intakes, exhausts, and panels, is meticulously crafted to achieve new levels of performance.

Aerodynamic performance is integral to every design decision. Whether aiming for top speed or high downforce values, as seen in the Bugatti Bolide, the focus is always on performance. This meticulous attention to engineering detail allows the Tourbillon to harness speeds exceeding 400 km/h. However, for Bugatti, the Tourbillon’s story extends beyond sheer speed.

Timelessness is a core element in Bugatti’s design philosophy. “Bugatti is about the interplay between elegance and speed,” Heyl notes. “Because these cars are around for so long, we also need to keep them current and in vogue. What dates a car is the technology of the time it was created in; 100 years from now, today’s technology won’t be cutting-edge anymore. Instead, we need to focus on preciousness.”

The design philosophy of the Tourbillon reflects this ethos, drawing inspiration from the timeless art of watchmaking. Just as century-old timepieces remain relevant today, the Tourbillon’s cabin offers a uniquely analogue experience.

For Frank Heyl and his design team, creating the Tourbillon is about crafting an experience, marking a new era for Bugatti.