1956 saw the last Molsheim-built Bugatti pass through the factory gates of the famous Alsatian car manufacturer. Fifty years later, in the spring of 2006, the first of the new generation of Molsheim Bugattis, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, was delivered to its owner.
Ettore Bugatti and Émile Hermès met in the 1920s, when Ettore ordered a bespoke suitcase for his first Bugatti Royale. Almost eighty years later, at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance, representatives of Bugatti and Hermès met again. And this encounter turned out to be the beginning of a new collaboration between the two houses. The revival of this relationship may initially appear surprising, as the association between the renowned luxury house and the legendary car manufacturer in today’s automotive context would not immediately spring to mind. It confirms that heritage is able to survive over a time span of several decades.
“Art-Forme-Technique”, the mythical legacy of Bugatti underlines that strong brand values and a total commitment to excellence are as valid today as they were when Ettore Bugatti and Émile Hermès met for the first time. And today’s exchange of expertise, skills and craftsmanship, common to both houses in their respective fields, is still as exciting and rewarding as at the time of Émile and Ettore’s first encounter. What had begun as a personal friendship has now turned into a modern industrial design project
and an important part of Bugatti’s new individualisation programme. The new Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès is a milestone in Bugatti’s renaissance and an enthusiastic and promising partnership between Hermès and Bugatti – between a “car-loving saddle- maker” and a “horse-loving carmaker”.
The meeting between Émile Hermès and Ettore Bugatti, at the beginning of the 20th century, marked an epoch-making encounter between a prestigious Parisian saddler with a passion for cars, and an exceptional carmaker with a passion for the world of horses. The result was a friendship nourished by shared enthusiasms, respect and admiration, and
a common vision of the importance of innovation, creativity and modernity.
The Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès revives the historic links between Bugatti and Hermès, demonstrating the enduring power of their shared values, in the pursuit of contemporary excellence.
Since its beginnings in 1837, Hermès has always sought to accompany people on the move: on horseback, by car, by plane or most recently by helicopter… Elegance, functionality, creativity and extreme attention to quality are the principles shaping the design and production of everything we make. The Bugatti Veyron was, then, studied, “tamed” and rethought. At the invitation of Hermès Artistic Direction, designer Gabriele Pezzini worked with our craftsmen to create a car that is just as much Hermès as it is Bugatti.
The utmost attention has been paid to the reworking of the interior and exterior alike. A highly detailed approach, reflecting the spirit of excellence underpinning the collaboration between teams from Bugatti and Hermès on this shared project. Handcrafted leatherwork by Hermès is to be found throughout, even under the hood.
This exceptional car has been invested with an aura of serenity and refinement that accompanies it wherever it goes, from country lanes to city streets. In Paris, we shall be delighted to see it glide, astonishingly acquiescent, along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.