Tour the Bugatti factory, Molsheim
In the September issue of Wallpaper* (W*126) we befriend Bugatti's latest baby, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. Here Jonathan Bell, visits the factory where this hand-built, breathtaking car was born.
The sparse, laboratory-like spaces of Bugatti's Molsheim factory are a fitting environment for the manufacture of the world's most advanced sports car. The Bugatti Veyron and Veyron Grand Sport 16.4 roll slowly off these production lines and into the air-conditioned underground garages of the world's most discerning - and deep-pocketed - motoring enthusiasts.
Take a tour of the Bugatti factory - where the world's most advanced sports cars are pieced together
An integral part of Volkswagen's revival of the Bugatti name was the return to the marque's historic home in Molsheim, just outside Strasbourg. Here stands the Château St. Jean, built in 1857, and subsequently used by Ettore Bugatti as a grand customer service centre. The original factory was destroyed during the war, so the decision was made to create new production facilities in the château's grounds. To undertake the work, VW enlisted the help of Gunther Henn, whose Munich-based practice, Henn Architekten, has forged a close link with the VW Group over the past decade. Henn has designed some of the more adventurous examples of motoring architecture, including VW's Transparent Factory in Dresden and a fair chunk of Autostadt, the Wolfsburg-based auto theme park that unites the VW's brand portfolio with a series of architectural pavilions set in landscaped grounds.
As well as stripping out and totally restoring the château, the adjoining stable buildings were dismantled, moved and reconstructed, using as many original materials as possible, but with modern detailing and
facilities to serve as the customer reception and meeting spaces. They also house a library and workshop for the restoration of classic Bugattis, a small-scale set-up with a domestic feel that contrast with the industrial character of the main production pavilions.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Looking for a long-range luxury EV that’s a true Tesla alternative? Welcome to the Lucid Air
We drive the Lucid Air, the high-performance Californian EV that’s a welcome leftfield choice in a sea of Musk-mobiles. Vote Lucid!
By Guy Bird Published
-
Umbrian castle hotel Reschio seduces with 1,000 years of history, now explored in a new book
The estate, home to a boutique hotel and rentable houses, is documented in Rizzoli's ‘Reschio: the First Thousand Years’ – and is open for stays
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Light, nature and modernist architecture: welcome to the reimagined Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens and its modernist Roberto Burle Marx-designed greenhouse get a makeover by Weiss/Manfredi and Reed Hildebrand in the US
By Ian Volner Published
-
Volkswagen celebrates 50 years of the Golf, its most famous modern model, with a flight of fancy
Wallpaper* travelled to eastern Turkey in search of the perfect backdrop to mark 50 years and eight generations of the evergreen VW Golf
By Adam Hay-Nicholls Published
-
We sample the world’s first all-electric DeLorean, a stainless steel marvel for the modern age
Electrogenic brings its brilliance with batteries and motors to bear on the iconic DeLorean DMC-12, giving this classic design the futuristic feel it deserves
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Bentley rolls out the latest version of its majestic grand tourer, the Continental GT Speed
Available as both coupé and convertible, the fourth generation Bentley Continental GT Speed harnesses hybrid power to become a record breaker for the brand
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Fiat Grande Panda first look: will retro-seeking lightning strike twice?
This is the new Fiat Grande Panda, a compact hybrid and electric car that brings delightful design back to a well-loved model
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
New Volkswagen California is a hybridised camper van that has it all
The Volkswagen New California camper van is here, the latest update to VW’s evergreen classic, bringing a larger platform, more flexibility and hybrid power for the first time
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
New Rivian R2 and R3 downsize a format to increase the EV company’s standings
The Californian manufacturer has revealed the new Rivian R2 and R3, all-electric SUVs that combine practicality with functional elegance
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
VW Golf at 50: the new model, and a look back at the pioneering small car
A VW Golf update brings new tech, innovations and efficiencies to keep the car at the heart of the brand 50 years after its debut
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
CES 2024 was a showcase for how to shoehorn AI into next-generation cars
CES 2024 in Las Vegas underlined that future mobility will be shaped by AI, like it or not, as intelligent assistants emerge to guide, plan and converse with their human cargo
By Jonathan Bell Published