Etienne Salomé

b500 magazine

ETIENNE SALOMÉ “The French Pursuit of Perfection”

After working for 12 years on the design of Bugatti Automobiles, Berlinbased Etienne Salomé decided to create his own company: ‘Salome Yachts and Design’, He officially launched with his team the ‘Atlantic Project’ in September 2019 during the Monaco Yacht Show, a 12 meter sport tender, immediately recognisable on the water, a true head-turner. He keeps one foot in the automotive industry as a consultant for various car manufacturers including the supercar/hypercar manufacturer Koenigsegg.

I t was in 2007 that I decided to join the famous automobile manufacturer Bugatti.

At that time it had just finished the development of it’s latest model, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 and the production had just started. Everyone knows the mighty 1001PS power from the w16, the Hypercar that started it all!

The Veyron is the first model produced under the VW group, and which resulted from numerous prototypes first using 18 cylinder engines and later on 16 cylinders. The design of the Bugatti Veyron 18.4 concept is created by Harmut Warkuß and his team and is the car that led to the styling of the production car. The final version of the engine is a W16 8,0 litre with four turbos, delivering over 1001 PS and 1250Nm torque, which allows the car to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of over 406 km/h! The car has 10 radiators in order to keep the heat down at high speed, and the thermic control inside the engine bay has always been crucial throughout the design evolution. A Bugatti is an authentic piece of engineering, nothing is fake, everything has a function.

Even though the cars were assembled in Alsace, France, at the brand new atelier, my office was located in Wolfsburg in Germany, so I was traveling every day 250 km from Berlin in to reach the office, using the fast ICE train connection. The engineering office employed around 80 engineers each dedicated to make this unique masterpiece the flagship from the VW group.

From the 7 speed DSG gearbox, to the run flat Michelin PAX tyres, the complete carbon monocoque, titanium bolts with EB emblems; everything had to be the best on the planet.

One of my first jobs was to define the various editions of the Veyron, in order to support the sales, and then later to draw the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Supersport exterior, which went on to break the speed record at 431,072 km/h. I also managed the relationship with the company Hermes and created the limited edition Bugatti veyron FBG (Faubourg). The numerous modifications made to this coupe were outstanding, from the overall design, to new door openers and even modification of the steering wheel, as well as creation of a complete luggage set located in the trunk and matching the interior leather, entirely manufactured at Hermes in France.

I think that those cars represented the brand’s very best unique DNA, a hyper GT.

I had the chance to meet Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch numerous times and also discussed with him his vision for the brand. He always said he wanted over 1000PS, drive over 400km/h and be able to drive to the opera!

With this kind of requirements the result had to be something very special, separating it from any other automobile manufacturers. In the end Bugatti produced a staggering 450 units of the Veyron, with 4 versions, the 16.4, Grand Sport, Supersport and Supersport Vitesse.

All models are configured for the individual clients, tailor made for each requirement, and the result is that every single car is unique. The support of the VW group ensured the cars were developed as the best of the best, with each single aluminium part machined from solid blocks, with each part passing the most challenging tests, and as a Frenchman working for Bugatti Automobiles it was a dream come true for me.

Because of the years working on this masterpiece, I created a unique relationship, where the Veyron became like one of my babies, where you know every detail, every screw, every corner. This car is no V12 or V10 or V8 like any other hyper car, it has no competition, it plays in its own league. With it’s unique ultra complicated power train, with no hybrid drive or electric assistance, it is a grande complication like a tourbillon movement would be in the luxury watch industry; a mechanical marvel that will stand the test of time. So I can say today that this is for me the greatest car in the world.