Twenty years after the Veyron changed what we thought a road car could be, Bugatti is circling back with a very personal tribute. The new F.K.P. Hommage is the second creation from Bugatti’s ultra-exclusive Programme Solitaire, and it is designed to celebrate two things at once: the Veyron’s groundbreaking “hyper-GT” formula and the man who pushed it into existence, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Karl Piëch. If the Veyron was the original statement piece, this feels like Bugatti’s definitive encore, crafted for a single client with a story baked into every surface.
Bugatti’s telling of the Veyron origin story is the kind of lore gearheads love. The spark reportedly came on a bullet train in Japan, where Piëch sketched a W-engine concept that would eventually evolve into the quad-turbo W16. The magic was not just the cylinder count, but the packaging. Bugatti highlights how the compact layout allowed a shockingly short engine length for something so complex, which helped make the Veyron feel unusually balanced and usable, not just brutally fast in a straight line.
For the F.K.P. Hommage, Bugatti didn’t stop at nostalgia. This one-off sits on the most evolved version of the W16 platform and uses the 1,600 hp quad-turbo powertrain associated with the Chiron Super Sport, paired with a reinforced dual-clutch gearbox to handle the extra punch. It also nods to Piëch’s original brief: huge power, all-wheel drive confidence, and the sort of polish that lets the car feel at home in a city at low speed, not just on a runway with the speed key engaged.
Stylistically, the brief reads like “what if the Veyron got a meticulous, modern-day redesign rather than being replaced?” The signature Veyron stance remains, including that slightly reclining posture that always made it look calm and self-assured compared to the wedge-era supercars around it. Bugatti says every panel has been refined, from a more sculptural, three-dimensional horseshoe grille machined from solid aluminum, to larger front intakes that better feed and cool the uprated engine. Wheel sizing moves to 20 inches up front and 21 inches in the rear, now matched with the latest Michelin tire tech for a cleaner look and sharper capability.
Paint and materials get the full “Solitaire” treatment, too. Bugatti describes a deep red finish created with layered coatings, including a silver aluminum base under a red-tinted clear coat to give it extra depth as light moves across the body. Instead of relying on black paint for contrast, the exposed carbon fiber itself is tinted for a richer finish, the kind of detail that sounds subtle until you see it up close and realize it is the whole point of a project like this.
Inside, the F.K.P. Hommage takes an even bigger swing. Bugatti brings back a circular, Bauhaus-influenced steering wheel as a nod to early Veyron design themes, then surrounds it with an all-new center console and tunnel cover machined from solid aluminum. The cabin also introduces custom “Car Couture” fabrics woven in Paris, expanding Bugatti’s personalization beyond the traditional leather-and-metal recipe. And then there’s the centerpiece flex: an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon integrated into the dashboard, complete with a clever, car-powered self-winding mechanism that does its job without being electrically connected.
All of this sits under Bugatti’s Programme Solitaire umbrella, a factory-backed approach to building true one-of-one cars with completely reimagined bodywork and bespoke interiors, limited to a maximum of two creations per year. The first Solitaire car was the Brouillard, and the F.K.P. Hommage shows how broad the idea can be, from heritage storytelling to engineering evolution, all tailored to a single owner’s vision. For enthusiasts, it is also a reminder that Bugatti’s modern legends are now old enough to be celebrated in the same way classic icons are, not just as fast cars, but as cultural moments that still echo two decades later.
Darryl Taylor Dowe is a seasoned automotive professional with a proven track record of leading successful ventures and providing strategic consultation across the automotive industry. With years of hands-on experience in both business operations and market development, Darryl has played a key role in helping automotive brands grow and adapt in a rapidly evolving landscape. His insight and leadership have earned him recognition as a trusted expert, and his contributions to Automotive Addicts reflect his deep knowledge and passion for the business side of the car world.
