MOLSHEIM, France: The interior concept of the Bugatti Tourbillon is to immerse its occupants in a world of luxury and heritage.
The French luxury hypercar manufacturer says the quality and choice of the materials within the hypercar’s cabin help create an atmosphere reflecting the aura Bugatti vehicles have created for the brand.
In the latest episode of ‘A New Era’, Bugatti chief interior designer Ignacio Martinez explains the unique challenge of bringing this interior to life.
Within the cockpit, the iconic centre line and C-line that define the marque’s vehicles converge into a new form in the cabin, creating a bespoke space on one side for the driver and on the other for the passenger – a line running down the center of the interior, in subtle harmony with the centre line on the exterior.
Meanwhile, the Tourbillon’s designers also had to balance their creative wishes with the practical requirements of delivering an interior that’s also defined by safety, comfort and performance.
“Throughout the design process, we needed to ensure that we implement critical requirements like airbags, the position of the seat belt, how the vehicle behaves in crash scenarios, and how therefore the occupant is impacted accordingly. It's a vehicle that will be used and driven on the street, so we needed to comply with many constraints in order to bring it to production,” said Martinez.
The Tourbillon is named after a watchmaking innovation from the very early 19th century.
The aspect of timelessness therefore played a central role in the creation of the interior concept.
“Just like any precious timepiece, a Bugatti vehicle needs to be timeless; these objects pass from generation to generation. With the Tourbillon, it needs to preserve its own character, not following any trends. That’s why, in this digital age, we decided to pursue analogue technology – where the art of watchmaking meets digital detox,” said Bugatti design director Frank Heyl.
The emphasis lies in physical controls – engineered to deliver exceptional quality in haptic feedback, resistance and travel, while the central display is hidden inside the dashboard until deployed on command.
The fixed-hub steering wheel integrates user controls and paddle-shifters within its seamless rim, rotating freely around the central airbag.
The fully analogue cluster represents a remarkable feat of machine engineering; each gear and mechanism developed together with master watchmakers in Switzerland.
Employing the same approach as with the steering wheel, the dials highlight a fascination with the beauty of the mechanical – their milled aluminum casing, elegantly skeletonised composition and crystal-housed display are reminiscent of the refined, mechanical simplicity of Bugatti models at the beginning of the 20th century.
“Everything in the interior of the Tourbillon is connected semantically to the art of watchmaking. By keeping this approach alive and thriving through our pencils, hands and minds, we ensure the experience of driving the Tourbillon will remain timeless for years to come,” said Martinez.
