This, we’re afraid, isn’t it. What you’re in fact looking at is the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. It’s a (stunning) virtual creation you’ll be able to download and drive on the iconic PlayStation racing simulator. You know the formula by now: everyone from Aston Martin to BMW and VW plus many more have had a crack at concocting the wackiest concept car possible, safe in the knowledge that it’ll only be driven via a vibrating controller on someone’s telly.

This Bugatti is different, though. They’re going to build it. Really.

Okay, sort of. Bugatti will show off a full-size, one-off Vision GT model at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month, but it’s not going to be dolling out test drives. This is still a flight of styling fantasy. Looks cool though, no?

The official bumpf claims the Bugatti styling team were inspired by the brand’s rich tapestry of historical designs, like the two-time Le Mans-winning Type 57 ‘Tank’. That inspiration seems to have got so far as the two-tone paint job, because from where we’re sitting, this is a Veyron on steroids. GT3 racing car flavour ones.

Eagle-eyed readers will have scrolled agog through the gallery above and spotted a very recognisable track map front’n’centre in the Vision GT’s 22nd Century interior. Yup, that’s the Circuit de la Sarthe. Le Mans. Forgive us for getting a tad excited, but what with the racey carbon seat and F1-style steering wheel already in place, is it too much to hope to see a Bugatti GT3 racer dicing with the new Ford GT at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June 2016?

Sadly, it almost certainly is. The Bugatti Vision GT is just a styling exercise – a canvas for Bugatti’s designers to go a little crazy, and perhaps throw us a few clues to how the difficult second album that is the Veyron MkII might look.

The stats are sure to be mighty, the top speed aircraft-spec. But is Bugatti’s next road car actually going to be, well, a looker? On this evidence, we might be in for more than just a new physics lesson. What do you reckon?

(BBC)