Since its founding in 1909 by Ettore Bugatti, the French high-performance road and racing car manufacturer has designed and produced some of the most beautiful creations in the automotive world. This latest addition, however, comes not from Bugatti and it's not even real. The Bugatti "Arrow" rendering pictured above and below is the work of a designer for Chinese EV maker Nio. What is it, why was it penned, and what implications are there for Bugatti's future racing ambitions? Let's check it out.

The "Arrow" Concept

Bugatti Arrow 3
via Instagram

Unlike most independent renderings and design sketches this one is quite well done with the familiar Bugatti look. It contains elements of the old EB110 with a bit of Chiron thrown in for good measure. The inspiration for the design is based on the upcoming Le Mans Hyper Class set to replace the LMP1 tier in the FIA World Endurance Championship racing series. It proposes something very attractive both in form and purpose. Since Bugatti presently does not participate in any racing effort, the new "Arrow" hypercar could offer an outlet for a new Bugatti racing effort.

Could Bugatti Make It?

Bugatti Arrow 2
via Instagram

Bugatti is a very small company, but since 1998 they have been part of the VW Group with considerable resources behind them. Indeed, they've designed and manufactured some of the most desirable and limited edition high performance and luxurious automobiles since that time. Diving into racing however would be somewhat of a departure for them. But if they could make the "Arrow" a roadgoing car with a complementary racing variant as a testbed for new drivetrains, it could conceivably work. Not many details have come out of Molshiem at this time, however, so I'd have to file this one under long shot at best.

Looking Ahead

The Le Mans Hyper Class is set to begin in the 2020/2021 FIA World Endurance racing season. Each manufacturer must produce 20 street legal units for homologation with ICE and hybrid entries allowed. So far several companies and teams have either expressed interest or committed to participating including AMG, Toyota's Gazoo Racing, Aston Martin, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, and McLaren. Will Bugatti add their name to the list? Stay tuned for details and buckle up.

Source: Auto Evolution