Bugatti's Director of Design explains the design of the new Destrier and shares the secret formula behind making every Bugatti appealing
Published on Aug 17, 2026 at 6:51 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Aug 17, 2026 at 6:51 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Henry Kelsall
The Director of Design at Bugatti has revealed the design inspiration Destrier hypercar and shared a secret formula behind how the company makes each car so appealing.
Frank Heyl is the Director of Design at the company, and he was on hand to show off the car at its Pebble Beach launch.
It is the third incarnation within the Programme Solitaire from Bugatti, and it uses the Bolide as its basis.
In a couple of Instagram videos, Heyl explained why the car looks the way it does, and how that makes it appealing to buyers.
The Destrier has proportions to die for
“It is based on a Bolide, and it has proportions to die for,” said Heyl in his Instagram video.
We can’t argue with that, as it is a fantastic-looking car.
Heyl said that the proportions of it are down to the height of the hypercar.
“There is a certain toolset us designers use to make a car look appealing,” the designer added.
Heyl said the aspect ratio between the wheels and the top of the car is the most important part.
“If you have a Bolide package that is only 39 inches tall to begin with, you don’t need any linework to break up the volumes,” he added.
The designer loves how exaggerated the Detrier is
“What I love about this project the most is how over-exaggerated it is,” added Heyl.
Some of the angles of the car show off the far side rear-hip from a totally different side of the car.
It is an extreme version of the Bolide but made real, as Heyl explained.
You can’t fail to be impressed by the proportions of the Bugatti Destrier.
The car sits very low to the ground, and it looks very compact compared to many other supercars.
The Bolide itself is already a very nicely proportioned hypercar, but the Destrier takes that to a new level.
This is before we even factor in everything else about this truly exceptional car.
The Destrier is a rolling sculpture
Bugatti has likened the Destrier to a rolling sculpture.
The Bolide, of course, is already one of the wildest cars that the Molsheim company has ever produced.
It weighs just 3,100lbs, has a top speed of 236 mph, and packs 1,600 hp under the hood.
Bugatti has taken that incredible performance and then turned it into an elegant one-off that hides away the performance.
As the third car in the Programme Solitaire, it follows on from the amazing Brouillard and the equally impressive FKP Hommage.
Bugatti has also said the Destrier is ‘all about emotion’.
It takes its name from a prized warhorse ridden by Medieval knights.
As it is only 39 inches tall, it is also the lowest car that Bugatti has ever made.
All of this has combined to produce something truly exceptional.
Bugatti timeline
1909: Ettore establishes his namesake automobile company in Molsheim, Alsace, France
1924: Introduction of the Type 35, which dominates motorsport with over 2,000 total victories
1926: Launch of the Type 41 Royale, an ultra-luxurious vehicle featuring a massive 12.7-liter engine
1937: Drivers secure a first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans using a Type 57G Tank
1947: The founder passes away, triggering a gradual decline that eventually leads to factory closure in 1952
1987: Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli revives the marque in Campogalliano to build the EB110 supercar
1998: Volkswagen Group acquires the brand rights and returns operations to the original Molsheim estate
2005: The revolutionary Veyron 16.4 debuts as the first modern hypercar to shatter the 400 km/h barrier
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
