Bugatti Created a One-of-a-Kind Chiron Super Sport Inspired by the Legendary Type 57 Atlantic

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is already one of the most exclusive and expensive cars in the world, with a top speed of over 260 mph and a price tag of $3.9 million. But for one customer, that was not enough. She wanted her Chiron Super Sport to pay homage to another Bugatti icon: the Type 57 SC Atlantic, a masterpiece of art and engineering that is widely regarded as the most valuable and elegant car ever made.

The result is the Chiron Super Sport ‘57 One of One’, a unique creation that blends the modern performance and technology of the Chiron Super Sport with the classic style and heritage of the Type 57 Atlantic. This is the story of how Bugatti’s Sur Mesure division, which specializes in bespoke customization, made this dream come true.

A Love Story That Began 20 Years Ago

The customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a lifelong car lover and a fan of Bugatti. She first saw a Type 57 SC Atlantic 20 years ago at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, where one of the only three surviving examples is on display. She was instantly captivated by the car’s beauty and history, and it became her favorite car of all time.

The Type 57 SC Atlantic was designed by Jean Bugatti, the son of the founder Ettore Bugatti, in the late 1930s. It was based on the Type 57 S, a sporty version of the Type 57, which was Bugatti’s most successful model then. The Atlantic added a striking coupe body with a distinctive dorsal fin that ran from the front to the rear, inspired by aviation design. The car also featured a supercharged 3.3-liter inline-eight engine that delivered 200 horsepower, making it one of the fastest cars of its era.

Only four Type 57 SC Atlantics were ever built, and each one had its own unique features and history. The first one, known as the Aérolithe, was a prototype that was made of magnesium alloy and had riveted seams. It was shown at the 1935 Paris Motor Show, but it disappeared shortly after, and its fate is unknown. The second one, chassis number 57374, was sold to Victor Rothschild, a British banker and aristocrat, who later had it modified with a more powerful engine and headlights. It won the Best of Show award at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and is now part of the Peter Mullin collection. The third one, chassis number 57473, was owned by Jacques Holzschuch, a French industrialist who died in a car accident in 1941. The car was hidden during World War II, and it was later sold to various collectors, including Ralph Lauren, who still owns it today. The fourth one, chassis number 57591, was the personal car of Jean Bugatti, who died in a crash while testing a Type 57 C Tank in 1939. The car was inherited by his brother Roland, who sold it to a French racing driver named Pierre Bouillon who raced under the name Levegh. The car was destroyed in the infamous 1955 Le Mans disaster when Levegh’s Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR crashed into the crowd and killed 83 people.

The customer of the Chiron Super Sport ‘57 One of One’ was inspired by the second Atlantic, the one that belonged to Rothschild and is now in the Mullin Museum. She said, “I remember the day like it was yesterday. I visited the Mullin Automotive Museum at Oxnard, and there it was, one of only three cars that still remain on a pedestal all by itself. I fell in love with it from the very second I saw it.”

A Birthday Surprise and a Co-Creation Journey

Two decades later, the customer’s wish for her own Bugatti came true, thanks to a birthday surprise from her husband, who is also a Bugatti owner and shares the same passion and dedication to cars. He gave her a personal invitation from Bugatti to come to Molsheim, France, to configure her own Chiron Super Sport, a gift for her 70th birthday.

With memories of that trip to Oxnard and a great deal of excitement, she discovered the home of Bugatti for the first time. There, she met Jascha Straub, the lead designer of the Sur Mesure division, who was on hand to introduce her to the extraordinary history of the Château Saint Jean and the brand. He also showed her the scale model of the Type 57 SC Atlantic that inspired her, and they immediately agreed that they should create a tribute to the iconic car for her Chiron Super Sport.

That was the beginning of a co-creation journey that would stretch over a year, during which Straub and the customer worked closely together to realize her vision. Straub said, “For years, I have been idly dreaming of reinterpreting this icon, so I already had my own ideas of what I would do to honor the most elegant car ever designed. That meant that right away, we could sit down and begin evolving the design to realize her vision together.”

A Unique Blend of Modern and Classic

One of the first challenges was to find the right color for the car, which had to match the shade of blue that the customer saw on the Atlantic at the Mullin Museum. Straub flew to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, where the original car was on display at the time, to get the exact color swatch. He then worked with the paint specialists at Bugatti to create a custom hue that replicated the silver-tinted blue of the Atlantic, which was named Atlantic Blue.

The next challenge was to recreate the distinctive grille of the Atlantic, which had vertical slats and a prominent spine that echoed the dorsal fin of the body. Straub worked with the engineers at Bugatti to design a new grille for the Chiron Super Sport that had polished vertical lines and a thicker center spine, while maintaining the aerodynamics and cooling performance of the car. The result was a retro-looking grille that harmonized with the modern shape of the Chiron Super Sport.

Other details that paid homage to the Atlantic included:

The five-spoke Super Sport wheels, which used polished chrome and the same Atlantic Blue as the body.
The underside of the rear wing, which featured a hand-drawn silhouette of the Atlantic, finished with ‘57’ and ‘One of One’ lettering.
The interior, which had the Atlantic’s silhouette hand-stitched in Lightning Blue on the door panels and a center console with a custom inlay that proclaimed ‘57 One of One’.
The headrests, which had Rembrandt Bugatti’s iconic dancing elephant sculpture embroidered on them.

The customer was delighted with the final result, which she said was “a dream come true”. She said, “I am so grateful to Bugatti for making this possible, and to Jascha for being such a wonderful partner in this project. He understood my vision and helped me bring it to life. This car is more than just a car, it is a work of art and a tribute to the most beautiful car ever made.”

The Chiron Super Sport ‘57 One of One’ is a testament to Bugatti’s Sur Mesure division, which offers customers the opportunity to create their own personalized and unique Bugattis with almost limitless possibilities. Straub said, “We are very proud of this car, which showcases our craftsmanship and creativity. It is a perfect example of how we can combine the modern performance and technology of the Chiron Super Sport with the classic style and heritage of the Type 57 Atlantic. It is a one-of-a-kind car for a one-of-a-kind customer.”

The Chiron Super Sport ‘57 One of One’ is powered by the same 8.0-liter 16-cylinder engine that produces 1578 horsepower as the other Chiron Super Sports. Bugatti claims the Chiron makes the dash from zero to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds and has a claimed top speed of over 260 mph. The Super Sport we tested rocketed to 60 mph in just 2.2 seconds and hit 200 mph in under 15 seconds.

The customer said she is looking forward to driving her Chiron Super Sport ‘57 One of One’ and enjoying its performance and beauty. She said, “This car is a masterpiece, and I can’t wait to take it on the road. It is the ultimate expression of my love for Bugatti and the Type 57 Atlantic.”