Design team under Achim Anscheidt increasingly utilizes hyper-realistic 3D development

Bugatti has stood for innovative, extraordinary and timeless automotive design for more than 110 years. For the French luxury brand, design development is both a key competence and a highly complex task. Bugatti has been intensively working on virtual design processes with photorealistic 3D animations since 2016 in order to master this challenge in the age of digital transformation. The design team under Achim Anscheidt has already digitalized more than 90 percent of the creative model development process and has thus established a paradigm shift in design creation.

As Director of CAD and Visualization, Ahmet Daggün is responsible for the digital design processes of new models. The designer has been modelling cars since he was 13 years old. He even had a poster of a Bugatti EB110 in his room as a child, which served as an inspiration for his first drawings. After receiving a degree in vehicle engineering, Daggün joined Bugatti as a surface designer in 2012. 'I had always wanted to understand how technical things work – and optimize them if at all possible,' Daggün explains. For him, this includes the design development processes, as well as the technical components. These processes are his area of expertise.

Half of the design of the Bugatti Chiron1 was already produced digitally, and this share increased to 90 percent for the Divo2 hyper sports car. 'With the Divo, we proved for the first time that we could use the digital design process to develop a breathtaking shape into an extraordinary vehicle that is ready for the prototype stage within just a few months,' says Daggün. This would not have been possible within such a short timeframe with traditional clay models. Around 50 percent of time can be saved and approximately a quarter of costs cut thanks to this virtual process. The significant improvement of VR data goggles, which now provide designers with a hyper-realistic view of virtual models, was crucial for the technological breakthrough.

The transition to digital design

In the analogue age, there initially were draft drawings of new vehicles, which were then transformed into clay models with a scale of 1:4. Employees from different departments could then assess the shape, provide input and request changes at an early development stage. The employees spent months changing nuances or the lines of more than 10 design models. Designers would then produce a clay model at a scale of 1:1, of which several experts from different departments would assess and make any necessary alterations until the final design was decided upon. Thanks to virtual reality and 3D models, Bugatti now develops its hyper sports cars considerably faster and even more precisely.

'Today, we are the leading manufacturer to apply this form of development in such a systematic way, and not just in the hyper sports car segment,' says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. 'Throughout our tradition spanning over 110 years, Bugatti has always proven that it is able to choose the right path on the basis of new and courageous ideas. As the manufacturer of the world's most outstanding vehicles, we are obligated to always develop new ideas, both in terms of technology and design. We owe this to our tradition and our customers.'

Everything starts with the draft from a creative individual like Chief Designer Achim Anscheidt. Design computer specialists then digitize this draft and virtually develop the shape on the screen using special computers with enormous computing power. They first roughly edit the studies on the basis of sketch models to come up with initial, rudimentary proportions. 'We subsequently refine the curves, adapt surfaces and balance the interplay of light and shadow. We generate a VR presentation from the completed digital data record, which comes stunningly close to seeing the real thing,' Ahmet Daggün explains.

Digital models increase productivity and precision

Using monitors or VR goggles with a high depth effect, Bugatti employees can assess the vehicles, which are already at 90 percent of the subsequent production status, from all sides. Experts implement requested changes within one day – regardless of the country in which the decision-makers such as Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann or Chief Designer Achim Anscheidt are currently located. Back in the analogue age, this took up to two weeks. This gives designers and engineers more freedom and time to perfect the respective model.

Bugatti produces a physical data control model from rigid foam as soon as an agreement has been reached on the digital model. Designers and developers analyze the proportions at a distance of between 30 to 40 meters to get a better impression of the shapes and proportions. 'A physical model you can touch is still important because Bugatti vehicles are always highly emotive and we really want to feel them,' says Achim Anscheidt. Any requested changes are manually visualized by the designers for correction on the respective model and are incorporated in the digital model so that a show car or pre-series vehicle can be directly created from the final data record. 'Thanks to this digital process, we save a minimum of five months development time, while also increasing the number of adaptation loops and thus also the quality. Digital models also allow us to identify and smooth out even the smallest imperfections in advance. We therefore designed the Bugatti Divo in six months instead of one year,' explains Achim Anscheidt.

All the involved Bugatti designers are also experts in computer-generated imagery (CGI) and image synthesis. It is extremely important to have an excellent visual understanding of 3D animations, vehicle volumes, shapes and defining contours. 'These individuals are absolute specialists and without them, this process would not be possible,' says Achim Anscheidt.

Digital 3D technology will continue to massively transform the automotive design and engineering process. Bugatti is one of the most outstanding innovators here. 'As a result, we live up to the claim of company founder Ettore Bugatti, who once said that perfection is never reached. But we will do all we can to get as close to it as possible,' adds Stephan Winkelmann.

by Bugatti

BUGATTI DIVO CONFIGURATION – MADE TO ORDER ON REQUEST

Personal individualization makes every Bugatti Divo unique

Extremely powerful and very exclusive. Bugatti hyper sports cars have always been at the very pinnacle of automobile construction. They are unique pieces of the highest quality and craftsmanship, developed and manufactured with enormous attention to detail.

Like the Bugatti Divo1, undoubtedly one of the world's most extraordinary hyper sports cars. This coupé, which is limited to a series of just 40 cars, is now reviving the long coachbuilding tradition of this French luxury manufacturer. After two years of development work, the first of these cars costing at least EUR 5 million will soon be delivered to expectant Bugatti enthusiasts.

'Every Divo is absolutely unique, the ultimate form of luxury. This limited and extremely high-performance hyper sports car has an exclusive character all of its own,' says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. 'The Divo offers exceptional lateral acceleration as well as agility, and it is a must-have for any Bugatti enthusiast's hyper sports car collection.' Besides reduced weight, progressive design and sophisticated aerodynamics, the Divo is characterized by the ideas of its future owners.

More than two-thirds of Divo purchasers decide to customize their cars, choosing their own colors and materials such as paint, leather, fabrics and stitching. They introduce their own design ideas and use them to create their very own personal cars. 'This makes every Divo one of a kind,' says Laure Beneteau, Sales and Operations Manager at Bugatti. The 37-year-old Frenchwoman has been working for Bugatti since 2006 and since then she has supported over 400 Veyron and 300 Chiron customers during the configuration process and she has also been supporting Divo customers since 2018. 'We accompany them as they choose their cars. But that is not all we do. They can dream with us. Almost every wish that makes a Bugatti unique? We can make it come true,' explains Laure Beneteau. So, in theory, the choice of colors is unlimited. Three staff members handle the wishes of Bugatti customers from all over the world and explain what is technically feasible, and the entire customization team is made up of 15 staff. 'We have developed close relationships with many customers over the years. They trust us and value our opinions,' says Laure Beneteau with more than a hint of pride.

The Molsheim Experience

During the Molsheim Experience, where Bugatti customers can learn about the history of the marque, the historic Château, the North Remise and South Remise and the modern Atelier, Laure Beneteau or one of her colleagues accompany Bugatti enthusiasts as they configure their cars. A designer and a technician also assist in this process, explaining the technical details of the vehicle. The process takes almost five hours to complete. There are many ways to customize a Bugatti. 'Some customers might know exactly what they want. But we also have customers whom we advise in detail, we work together with them and come up with suggestions,' explains Anne Beynat, Sales Coordinator at Bugatti since 2011. 'Customers often have their own ideas, such as family crests, national flags, their own logos or special color schemes. We then try to implement the ideas in technical terms. Some customers choose the leather and color to match their handbag or their favorite pair of shoes,' says the 32-year-old. Their wishes must not impair vehicle safety or change the Bugatti logo. Anne Beynat often makes a selection of configurations which she then presents to customers and discusses with them. 'Most of them already own a Bugatti, so we know their preferences. Our Divo customers all already drive at least one Chiron,' she explains. Together they select the type and color of leather to use, run through possible options and decide on the perfect color for the paintwork. Most customers want something very special.

The sky is the limit for design ideas

In addition to the body color, the centerline, roof, engine covers and the air intakes on the wings can also be painted in contrasting colors. Not just well-known types of cowhide are used. Other types of leather, or even vintage leather can be used to cover seats and side trim. The leather types usually differ in terms of thickness and perforation. It is even possible to match the paintwork to the leather.

Special features include embossed children's footprints in the rear panel of the Veyron, the first name of the partner embroidered in the door pockets, or crystals in the cockpit. Special grilles or logos in the wheels or an inverted paint scheme are also possible. 'Besides the technical challenge, time always has a part to play. It can take up to four months to develop a new color, nine months for a new leather and up to a year for a new carbon interior. 'With our custom products, we make the same high demands in terms of materials and workmanship as with the standard configuration. After all, we want our Divo and Chiron cars to look and drive perfectly even after many, many years,' explains Laure Beneteau. Customers receive up-to-date photos every two weeks while their cars are being developed.

Tastes differ in that regard. While customers from the Asian market tend to request more unusual colors such as transposed paint schemes or bright colors, the European market tends to choose more reserved tones. Customers from the USA or the Middle East, on the other hand, like to order more eye-catching and extravagant color combinations. One customer worked with the Bugatti team for more than a year on the customization of his Divo. They have created a completely new vehicle as a result of a number of worldwide meetings and lots of samples and discussions. Now this Bugatti enthusiast can hardly wait to receive his very personalized Divo. No exceptions: even though Bugatti customers own almost everything, the handover is usually a very emotional moment. This is how unique the experience is – and how unique their very own Bugatti Divo is.

by Bugatti