Rather than follow Bentley, BRM et al by recreating a precise ‘new’ replica though, Uedelhoven Studios carefully studied the delicacy, elegance and engineering intelligence of the legendary inter-war Grand Prix Bugatti, and successfully used its roaring twenties brio as inspiration for its cunning retro modern design for the 2020s.
With no formal word on whether this ‘new’ Type 35 is an in-house Uedelhoven initiative or a hush hush project commissioned by Bugatti itself, the modern prototype’s formal purity flatters the eye and is cleverly inspired by the clean straight lines and interwar sporting prowess of its glorious 1920s predecessor.
Social media reveals that this intriguing retro-modern Bugatti Type 35 has been presented to the Volkswagen Group’s Executive Board, as revealed by exclusive images on Facebook, with ex-VW Group design chief Walter de Silva carefully examining the car. The ‘new’ Type 35’s horseshoe grille and exposed suspension cunningly evoke Bugatti’s pre-war competition heyday, with coil springs, LED lighting and a fresh take on the iconic French Racing Blue colour scheme subtly adding modern touches to the Uedelhoven-built prototype.
The car’s two-seater interior layout is reminiscent of the 1920s Type 35, with a modern Bugatti Chiron-esque centre console and bucket seats trimmed in the finest leathers, carbon and aluminium.
Technical data for this unexpected new prototype has not been revealed, but we doubt the Bugatti Chiron’s substantial W16 engine would fit in this Type 35’s narrow chassis, suggesting state-of-the-art electric power to be a more likely solution. All very intriguing, and here’s hoping that a handful of examples have either secretly already been made, or will get built, for a few very lucky, and wealthy, clients!
A wealth of other historic race cars also readily lend themselves to a similar professionally-executed retro-modern creation treatment, with the Porsche 917, Lancia D24, Cunningham C4-RK Coupe and Matra 630 (a personal favourite) immediately springing to mind.
I am sure that GRR readers here will have their own potential personal favourites too that they would love to consider for a modern-retro update, so please don’t be shy and use the comments section below to share the car or cars that you would love to see brought up to date for the 21st century. So, please do get your thinking caps on, and have fun dreaming…