Here are nine of Bugatti's greatest hits

After Volkswagen acquired the Bugatti brand in the late Nineties, it felt the need to make a statement. So, what better way to do it than with the hypercar to end (or perhaps should that be to begin) all hypercars? The Veyron’s 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 started an all-out power war.

Built between 1924 and 1931, the iconic Type 35 is widely cited as the most successful racing car of all time. And not even Red Bull’s current dominant F1 car will surpass its reputation, because the Bugatti racked up over 1,000 wins in its various forms.

After taking a modified, longtailed Chiron to 304.77mph at Ehra-Lessien in 2019, Bugatti decided to commemorate the car’s success by selling 30 production versions of the exposed carbon Super Sport 300+, complete with a bonkers 1,578bhp.

And you thought a 300mph Chiron was extreme. The Type 41 Royale was a monster. Just six were made and each had a 4.3m long wheelbase. To move something so massive there was a – get this – 12.7-litre straight-eight engine that made around 300bhp.

What is the best looking car ever made? If you’re into your prewar motoring, you would probably make a strong case for the 1936 Type 57SC Atlantic. The SC is French for lowered and supercharged, and that teardrop shape was designed by Ettore’s son, Jean Bugatti.

In contrast to the Atlantic, the Type 32 was not a looker. And it wasn’t actually that successful. But it was certainly ahead of its time, because this 1923 car was one of the first racecars to consider the aerodynamics of its bodywork. Its bluff shape earned its ‘Tank’ nickname.

Another Bugatti to earn the ‘Tank’ moniker, the 57G was the fruit of the French carmaker’s persistance with bluff aero bodywork. It eventually found success with the approach, the 57G securing the brand’s first ever Le Mans 24hr race victory in 1937.

Unveiled at the 1992 Geneva Motor Show, the updated EB110 managed to extract over 600bhp from its quad-turbocharged 3.5-litre V12. It was lighter than the standard car too, and added a few extra aero flourishes to Marcello Gandini’s original design.

It’s not just cars that Ettore was fond of – he also designed a high-speed train and the glorious Model 100 aircraft. Conceived as a racing plane for the Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup, the 1939 project was halted by the outbreak of World War Two and the 100P would never fly.