Frank Jons: chromatic explosions!
He could have ended up as a partner in an auditing firm, but a job interview convinced him to follow his true calling: painting. Interview.
​
Subscribe to our newsletter for free
Reinventing a Classic: The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 57 One of One
Bugatti, the French champion of the luxury car, blends nostalgia and modernity in this tribute to an automotive staple.
A Twentieth Century Classic
Originally produced in the 1930s, the Bugatti Type 57 was a grand tourer car, designed for high speeds and long distances. Stylish and sophisticated, it was a hugely respected model both in its time and since, and the Type 57SC Atlantic was arguably its finest form. Made out of lightweight aluminium, its elegant curves stood out on the roads, an embodiment of speed and modernity. Its supercharged 170 horsepower engine could exceed 120 miles per hour, making it one of the most powerful and advanced cars of the interwar age, and its rarity added to its prestige. Only four Atlantics were ever built, and only two remain, one in a museum and one in the private collection of Ralph Lauren.
​
“Every detail, from the paintwork to the colour of the stitching, is deliberated over.”
A Modern Take
Nearly a century later, the Atlantic’s distinctive design has been reinvented in a custom car, the one of its kind Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 57 One of One. This car takes elements from the Atlantic displayed in a museum, which caught the attention of the owner the new car was built for. The Atlantic’s grill, its sleek lines, and even the colour of its paint have been incorporated in the design of the new car. The silhouette of the original Atlantic features on interior details. It’s a modern car made into a love letter to a classic, combining the best features of both into something new and distinctive. And it comes just in time – like the Atlantic before it, the Chiron will soon cease production, to be replaced by a successor supercar going into production in 2026.
​
Unique Cars from a Unique Plant
This tribute to the past comes from one of the most distinctive car plants in Europe. The Bugatti facility at Molsheim in Alsace. Every car coming out of this place is unique, customers working with designers to come up with a design shaped around their individual tastes. Every detail, from the paintwork to the colour of the stitching, is deliberated over, until the customer’s desires are fulfilled and signs off on the design. Production itself is the work of skilled crafters who assemble the cars by hand, for a precise, high-quality finish. The cars take an average of nine months to produce, from conception to completion, but for a true auto lover with the money spare, it’s more than worth the wait.
​