Bugatti gears up for a big announcement..

Over on Bugatti’s Facebook page the stage is being set for the launch of something new, but is it yet another Veyron or something truly worth getting excited about?

All we know so far comes from the picture above and the following sentence.. “It’s almost time for us to share the latest example of exceptional Bugatti performance, simply keep a close eye on Facebook over the next few days.”

If there was any justice in this world we’d be looking at an official version of Paulo Czyżewski’s Bugatti Gangloff Concept Car. Inspired by the supercharged Bugatti Type 57S Gangloff Atalante, the Gangloff Concept is a modern interpretation of the subtle beauty of the original marque. But that’s not what Bugatti is about these days.

Ever since the company was revived by Romano Artioli in 1987, its core appeal has been ‘speed’. Last month’s Geneva Motor Show saw three unique variants of the Veyron Roadster; Two 1,182bhp Grand Sport Vitesses and a 987bhp Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, all of which paled into relative insignificance by the launch of LaFerrari and McLaren’s P1.

Rumours suggest the new model will be another Veyron Roadster, with a top speed of more than 250mph, developed with the intention of securing the title of ‘world fastest convertible’.

Bugatti has become the modern day caricature of the supercar – exaggerated excess all wrapped up in a price which puts it beyond the reach of many enthusiasts. It wasn’t always this way – Bugatti built its name on the back of motorsport and the principles of minimal engineering, with founder Ettore Bugatti famously describing his arch competitor Bentley’s cars as “the world’s fastest lorries”. How ironic that the Veyron has become the epitome of Ettore’s disdain.

In the last 25 years, not once has the Bugatti name been re-united with racing – could this be a turning point for the marque?

Several milestones are looming which might trigger a change of heart.

2013 is the 80th anniversary year of the Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix, a car once raced by René Dreyfus and Robert Benoist, while the Type 57, as reinterpreted by Czyzewski (above), was successfully driven by Pierre Veyron at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Looking 12 months on, 2014 will be the 90th anniversary of the Type 35, perhaps the most successful racing car of all time with its tally of more than 2,000 wins. What chance a Bugatti entry in the 2014 Le Mans, perhaps going head-to-head with Porsche in the LMP1 class? We can but dream..

Keep an eye on Bugatti’s Facebook page for the big reveal.