Frankfurt auto show: Bugatti ‘Jean Bugatti’ Gran Sport Vitesse

Volkswagen may well be losing several million Euro on each Bugatti Veyron that it sells, but that doesn't seem to be stopping the famed Franco-German marque from turning out the exclusive special edition models as production of it's million-dollar, 450kmh supercar draws to a close.

This is the second model to be created under the Bugatti Legends banner (the first celebrated Bugatti racer Jean-Pierre Wimille) and it has been created to honour the memory of the Jean Bugatti, son of the company's founder Ettore. While it's Ettore who rightly gets the bulk of the credit for Bugatti's original beauty and engineering standards, it was Jean who created one of the most iconic cars ever to emerge from Bugatti's factory in Molsheim in eastern France. This was the Type 57C Atlantic, a car of staggering beauty and which set the standard for car design for years to follow.

The modern Veyron cannot hope to hold even the dimmest candle to the Atlantic’s styling, but it can certainly bring raw power to the party. Bugatti is quoting 1,200hp for this Veyron, and 1,500Nm of torque, delivering 0-100kmh in just 2.6secs.

The body has been made of clear-lacquered carbon-fibre, in jet black to follow on from the original Atlantic, and there is a vestigal remnant of the original car’s striking central fin in the Veyron’s bonnet. If it’s excess you’re looking for then the Veyron Jean Bugatti can certainly deliver - the Bugatti badge and front grille are both made from platinum, while there is hand-embroidery on the door panels and rosewood for the gear selector.

Just three will be made, and they’ll each cost you €2.28-million. Before taxes.