Production of the fabulous Bugatti Chiron is quickly coming to an end, and while the successor is eagerly awaited, Bugatti’s very special Sur Mesure division has created an absolutely stunning tribute to one of the most famous Bugatti racing cars in history, winning car of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937, but a car they had fielded six years earlier, the Type 50S, and this particular car that ran with the number 5 on the side, were the inspiration for this new Bugatti Chiron Super Sport “Homage T50S”.
The car was a special request from a customer who approached Jascha Straub, Bugatti’s lead Sur-Mesure designer, with a desire to have a bespoke, black-on-black Chiron Super Sport that would pay a fitting tribute over time to represent Bugatti’s history In conversations, the story of the Type 50S enchanted the customer, or should we call it “the legend of the T50S”, Bugatti entered the 1931 race with three separate chassis, each painted in black instead of the traditional French racing blue.
All three cars showed enormous potential and drove at breakneck speeds on the long straights. Since victory still seemed possible, one of the participants suffered a puncture at high speed and tragically fell off the race track. The two remaining cars, including chassis number. 50177, which served as the inspiration for this modern supersport tribute, was retired by Bugatti to prevent further accidents. The story of the 50177, which was awarded the number “5” when it raced at Le Mans in 1931, was the catalyst that formed the basis for a creative journey for both the customer and Jascha, in which a vision for The Chiron Super Sport formed her thoughts and began to come to life on paper.
Following the philosophy of the original 1931 car, this Sur-Mesure creation is finished in a dark, glossy black and features a contrasting “5” on either side of the car. The “Le Mans 1931” lettering is located directly in front of the rear wheel arch, and hidden on it is a representation of the Circuit de la Sarthe, with every curve, every bend and every straight line being exactly as the Type 50S would have seen it in 1931 Underside of the rear spoiler, both carefully designed and installed by Bugatti experts.
The heart of the Type 50S experience was its innovative dual overhead camshaft engine, housed in an engine compartment almost as beautiful as the car itself. Completed with a guilloché ornamental pattern called “Perlée,” this attention to detail was a hallmark of the Brand Bugatti and by Ettore Bugatti himself. Jascha and the customer were obsessed with this detail and perfectly embodied the ethos of the brand – beauty in every detail. The process of converting the machine-turned look to a standard that matches the Sur Mesure team’s uncompromising approach to quality was anything but easy. Each circular pattern had to overlap to the exact same extent, every aspect of its design had to be perfectly proportional and designed to withstand extreme heat and everyday wear and tear not just for years, but for decades and generations. As with every aspect of a Sur Mesure job, what seems simple is actually the result of a long and complex process that ensures a perfect finish time and time again.
The black interior, highlighted by aluminum and Perlée accents, is brightly lit by the optional Sky View glass roof, giving occupants a sense of the open-air experience of the original Type 50S. The same original car is recreated in a hand-applied depiction of its Le Mans exploits on each door panel, while “Le Mans 1931” is hand-sewn into the driver and passenger headrests.
“The Type 50S line helped establish Ettore and Jean’s groundbreaking vision in the early 1930s for high-performance, large-displacement Bugatti racing cars that were at the extreme end of high performance.” said Jascha Straub, Lead Designer Sur Mesure. “The Type 50S – and especially the chassis 50177 – are core parts of our history. It is a real privilege to have a customer so passionate about paying homage to this racing legend. He and I spent many months talking for hours about how we could create an authentic homage, focusing on every detail to ensure it was consistent with the history of the Type 50S but also up to the unparalleled standards of the Bugatti brand .”
Hendrik Malinowski, Managing Director of Bugatti Automobiles, said: “It may not have the reputation of the Atlantic, the Royale or the Type 35, but we managed to share our enthusiasm for this car with the customer who recognized the importance of the Type 50S.” Once again, the Sur Mesure team led by Jascha Straub delivered an exceptionally personal co-creation project that leveraged our client’s passion, our experts’ insights and our craftsmen’s skills to create a love letter to the iconic Type 50S. It is not only a tribute to modern design, but the continuation of a story that began almost a century ago.”
