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Walter De'Silva's 'Secret' 1999 Bugatti Concept

 
13 3,227 views Jan 5, 2010
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Walter De'Silva's Secret 1999 Bugatti Concept

Walter De'Silva's Secret 1999 Bugatti Concept

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Walter de'Silva is a powerhouse of modern automotive design. With cars like the Audi R8, TT and A5 among the many to his credit, his exteriors have a way of capturing the mind as well as the eye. But it wasn't always thus.

In 1999, when Volkswagen was just beginning the revival of Bugatti, then-head of Volkswagen Design Hartmut Warkuss asked de'Silva, then at Seat, to pen a preview of a Bugatti hypercar. De'Silva delivered what you see here.

While it does bear some resemblance to the final Veyron, there's enough different to mark it out as its own entity. The aggressive wrap-around side scoops/roof layout and low, pointed roof brow put an odd hairline on an odd-faced vehicle.  Fortunately for enthusiasts and aesthetes everywhere, the design made it no farther than the full-scale mockup stage. It was Warkuss' design that was eventually picked to become the Veyron.

His failure to win the Bugatti design challenge doesn't seem to have hurt his career, however, as he's now in the position that Warkuss held ten years ago: head of VW Group design.

For more on the real Bugatti Veyron, check out our review of the Grand Sport, or for a look at what might be the next thing out of Bugatti, take a look at the Galibier 16C.

[Coachbuild via Ryan O'Keefe]





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Comments (13)

  1. By btlh2oguy Posted: 1/5/2010 8:45am PST

    very sexy design.
     
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  2. fb_100000275684479 avatar Michael Escobar Posted: 1/5/2010 9:56am PST

    I don't think it's that bad.
    Looks like this was the inspiration for his R8, especialy the "side-blades".
     
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  3. By Roy Posted: 1/5/2010 9:56am PST

    Odd use of the word "fortunately" in the article. I think this design is much more in keeping with Bugatti's brand image and much more attractive than the ugly bug-like Veyron.
    I hold out hope that the Veyron successor will look more like this car and that I'll get to see one in the flesh one day.
     
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  4. By The Dutch Guy Posted: 1/5/2010 10:03am PST

    I like this design more than current Veyron-design. It's absolutely stunning!!!
     
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  5. By james Posted: 1/5/2010 12:35pm PST

    it looks like nicholas cage's toupe.
     
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  6. Nelson avatar Nelson Ireson Posted: 1/5/2010 12:40pm PST

    Eye of the beholder, I guess. That furrowed brow looks a bit more Batman than Bugatti to me, though I do like the round headlights.
     
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  7. By Agent Posted: 1/5/2010 3:23pm PST

    For the 1999s, It was ahead of its time, a little bit atleast
     
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  8. fb_711072319 avatar Hatem Eldoronki Posted: 1/5/2010 4:34pm PST

    It's a shame that this design did not win. I feel the true soul of Bugatti in it. The front is what the Veyron should've been, the side just needed to get wider as it went further back.
    Maybe they should make a baby Veyron out of this! (Or the Atlantic II).
     
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  9. By  winter olympics Posted: 1/5/2010 6:52pm PST

    This is really great post.I did not think it was possible to build a car uglier than the Veyron.Thanks for sharing such a great post within us...
     
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  10. By Jack Posted: 1/5/2010 7:52pm PST

    The ugly design, it's good it stayed secret.
    If I were a designer, I wouldn't like to show it off.
    People wake up!
     
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  11. By Michael Posted: 1/6/2010 12:14am PST

    I don't like it either, I prefer the Veyron
     
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  12. By  gazzed Posted: 1/6/2010 12:54am PST

    First impression is very important and as with any person you'd want to see, you look them in the face.. same applies to cars and this car definitely has got one ugly face.
     
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  13. By JoJo Posted: 1/12/2010 4:41pm PST

    I love the Veyron look. It's easy to see how the designer's original vision gets tweaked to account for aerodynamics, visibility and other factors to make the final car what it is. The Veyron is a looker though, i don't think this was a loss at all. "fortunately" is a little harsh. I think this design deserves props for being so radical for its time.
     
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