The $18-Million, One-Off Hypercar That Bugatti is Bringing to Geneva Could Be a Modern-Day Take on the Iconic 57 SC Atlantic

Bugatti’s stand at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show is shaping up to be the go-to stand at the event now that the French automaker has let the cat out of the bag. A modern-day take on the iconic Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic is coming to Geneva, and if rumors are true, this could be the $18-million, one-off model that former Volkswagen Group chief Ferdinand Piëch commissioned Bugatti to build for him. No confirmation has been made on that front, but a 57 SC Atlantic-inspired Bugatti is bound for Geneva. That much has been confirmed by no less than the French automaker through a teaser image in its Facebook page with the description, “Jean Bugatti’s 57 SC Atlantic cannot be re-created, but what do you think? Can we translate its design language into the 21st century?” If it wasn’t clear before, it’s crystal clear now. All eyes will be on Bugatti at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

What is Bugatti Bringing to the 2019 Geneva Motor Show?

We all know that Bugatti is the type of automaker that celebrates anniversaries in grand fashion. But what the French automaker is doing to celebrate its 110th anniversary is on another level. We know about the Bugatti Chiron Sport “110 Ans” Special Edition. That’s coming to Geneva, though it’ll probably be relegated to sidekick status — how often do you hear a special edition Chiron with that label? — when it’s showing up with a modern-day interpretation of Jean Bugatti’s 57SC Atlantic.

This is what we’re dealing with here, and I can’t stress this point enough. It’s not enough that it’s a one-off make. It’s not even enough that it’s worth $18 million. Bugatti just had to dip into its history, too, referring to what is, without question, the most famous Bugatti in history: the 57SC Atlantic.

I know that I’m prone to the occasional bouts of hyperbole, but it applies in this instance. As it is, there are only two — four! — Bugatti 57 SC Atlantics that were built. Of the four, only three found their way to private collectors, including British banker Victor Rothschild, who bought the first production model. The third-production model was sold Jacques Holzschuh of France, who tragically died in an accident after crashing his 57SC Atlantic in a race. This model underwent a laborious restoration decades later, but nothing could be done to its original engine. The fourth-production model was sold to R.B. Pope of Britain. It’s also the same model that now belongs to Ralph Lauren.

Lost in all this is the second-production model, which has arguably the most interesting and most mysterious history of all four models that were made. Unfortunately, there’s no record of the car after 1938, and nobody really knows where it is. Rumors abound of its status, but the one most people believe is that the car was hidden during World War II and the people who knew of its whereabouts have long since passed on. It hasn’t been found to this day, though that hasn’t stopped speculation on how much it could sell for in the event that it’s found. Are you ready for this? $130 million, folks. $130 million.

So, yes, Bugatti’s decision to reintroduce the 57SC Atlantic into the modern world is not only a big deal but a gargantuan deal. The teaser image that Bugatti posted in its Facebook page doesn’t reveal much in the way of details — it’s really just a sketch of the original 57SC Atlantic that was done from a bird’s-eye view position — but we know that the company is using its most iconic model as the inspiration behind it.

I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t be. As much as I think that Bugatti’s capable of it, I don’t think that it’s building two separate models in this instance, in part because they’d be stealing the spotlight from one another if that was the case. And forget about the Chiron Sport 110 Ans Special Edition. If the Atlantic-inspired Bugatti is different from the one-off model that Piech commissioned Bugatti to build, we might as well forget about the special edition Chiron Sport because all eyes would be on these two models.

I think it’s one and the same model. It has to be.

In any event, one thing we can at least look forward to is knowing that the 57SC Atlantic-inspired model is going to steal the show at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. There’s no other scenario that can take place when we all know what Bugatti is bringing to Geneva with it.

So, get ready, everyone. We know that the Geneva Motor Show is the biggest auto show of the year. Well, it looks like it’s going to be a lot bigger this year with Bugatti in town to celebrate its 110th anniversary with a special edition Chiron and a one-off creation that’s inspired by Bugatti’s crown jewel model.

I can’t wait.