Starting out with Porsche in 1993 before transferring to the Volkswagen Group in 1996, Achim Anscheidt has an illustrious career in automotive design. He has been directing the Bugatti Design department since 2004 and under his regime, many of the notable Veyron variants were born.
But out of all the Veyrons ever made, Anscheidt has six favorites. That's kind of hard for him, I reckon, as it's like picking a favorite among his offsprings.
Veyron 16.4 Pur Sang (2007)
"Looking back on the Veyron Pur Sang is like remembering the birth of your first child. You never forget such an emotional event. It burns itself deep into your memory," said Anscheidt.
The Veyron Pur Sang is the start of Bugatti's range of special editions and customization program. Only five units of the Pur Sang was ever made, sold out within 45 minutes at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The contrast of carbon and aluminum makes the Pur Sang stand out, which was a first in automotive engineering then.
Veyron 16.4 Super Sport (2010)
"It was the first time that we in the design department had applied the ‘form follows performance’ approach so systematically," explained Anscheidt.
As the world's fastest production super sports car, the inclusion of the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport in this list isn't a surprise at all.
A bit of a fun fact from Bugatti: the details on the roof of the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport were based on the Bugatti EB110 SS from the '90s.
Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport L’Or Blanc (2011)
Made out of high-quality porcelain inside and out, calling the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport L’Or Blanc extraordinary is an understatement. Its abstract paintwork goes well with Bugatti's goal with this one-off – an art car.
"I was rather skeptical of this idea at first, as I by no means wanted to emulate automotive works of art such as those by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Frank Stella or Roy Lichtenstein," said Anscheidt.
Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse (2012)
As the only open-top Bugatti to this day, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse set a new speed record for open-top sports cars at 254 miles per hour (408.84 kilometers per hour).
But that's not what makes the Grand Sport Vitesse special for Anscheidt.
"What makes the Grand Sport Vitesse so special for me? Initially we as designers were criticized for the Vitesse not looking powerful enough as a roadster," he explained. "But our customers appreciate the fact that it looks like a coupé when the roof is closed. And when the roof is open, they can enjoy the inimitable feel of a roadster."
Veyron Grand Sport Venet (2012)
The Veyron Grand Sport Venet was another art car, made in collaboration with the French artist and sculptor Bernar Venet.
"Developing a car with a famous artist who is in no way connected to car design can be a tricky undertaking. With Bernar Venet, it was a creative process from start to finish. It was fascinating and impressive to be able to witness how he works and how he creates large-scale sculptures. We worked closely together, and ultimately created something truly beyond compare," said Achim Anscheidt.
"Les Légendes de Bugatti" – Ettore Bugatti (2014)
The presence of soft, natural cordovan leather in the Les Légendes de Bugatti – Ettore Bugatti made it so special for Anscheidt, as with the other Legends edition cars. But above all, the final edition of the model range based on the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse stands out.
The Veyron Is Still Very Special:
"Anyone who has ever owned a pair of shoes made from this material will understand the remarkable quality of cordovan leather and appreciate its durability. This was precisely our starting point when we created the interior of this Legend," explains Achim Anscheidt.
Source: Bugatti