The Bugatti Veyron’s significance in the motoring world can’t be understated. Debuting at the turn of the millennium with 987 horsepower (a barrier-breaking 1,001 metric horsepower) and a top speed of over 250 mph—unlockable via a “speed key”—the Veyron was contained in a breathtaking, curiously bulbous package that was somehow still drivable by layman’s standards. The automobile shattered world records and commanded the creation of the term “hypercar” to describe its then-unprecedented specs. Not to mention, it ushered Bugatti into a new quad-turbo W16 era, which only recently concluded with the Chiron.
The W16 itself is a marvel, featuring staggered cylinders in a short and wide-bank configuration that shrunk what should have been a meter-long powerplant to just 645 millimeters, allowing for the Veyron’s remarkably compact 2,700mm wheelbase.
To honor the epoch-defining Veyron, Bugatti has unveiled the F.K.P. Hommage, described as “the pinnacle of W16 development: larger turbochargers, enhanced intercoolers, upgraded cooling systems, and a reinforced gearbox capable of handling the increased torque.”
Named for Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch, the man who spearheaded the W16’s development, the exterior is a refined version of the Veyron’s shell. The three-dimensional horseshoe grille, machined from a solid block of aluminum, now flows organically into surrounding bodywork. Larger air intakes within the front feed the more powerful engine, while the signature air ducts are maintained right behind the occupants’ heads. Updated wheel sizes—20-inch front, 21-inch rear—are wrapped in Michelin’s latest performance rubber.
Cutting-edge paint technology is showcased via a distinctive red exterior finish that employs advanced layering techniques: a silver aluminum-based coat beneath a red-tinted clear coat that highlight the 3D aspects of the car’s updated panels. Black-tinted exposed carbon fiber provides contrast with a 10 percent black pigment integrated into the clear coat.
Inside is a Bauhaus-style steering wheel, again nodding to the original Veyron’s, is attached to a bespoke center console and tunnel cover machined from solid aluminum blocks. Custom Car Couture fabrics woven exclusively in Paris further elevate the interior beyond what’s possible with leather only. Thanks to to the efforts of Bugatti’s Programme Solitaire customization division, the dash features one of the finest watches available—a Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon. The famously octagonal watch sits within an “island” finished in engine-turned polish, a technique borrowed from the finishing of Ettore Bugatti’s original straight-eight cylinder heads. The watch runs via a unique self-winding mechanism: a gondola that rotates on a diagonal axis several times per hour, powered by the car’s movement without electrical connection.
The one-off Bugatti F.K.P. Hommage will be physically unveiled at Ultimate Supercar Garage in the frame of Rétromobile Paris on January 29.
