The Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic is one of the French brand's more iconic vehicles, with the Jean Bugatti-designed vehicle helping to thrust the company into the spotlight of the 1930's rich and famous with its curvaceous, flowing exterior lines. The last time we saw the "Atlantic" name on a Bugatti was back in the late 1930s, however that may soon be set to change.
Bugatti has filed to trademark the "Atlantic" name with the European Intellectual Property Office - a potential sign that the automaker is looking at introducing a new model bearing the Atlantic nameplate. Bugatti did not previously own the rights to this name (not in modern times, anyway) so this isn't a trademark renewal, either. It's also worth noting that the other most recent names Bugatti has trademarked with the EUIPO, Divo and Centodieci, were actually used by the automaker, appearing on separate limited production models.
At the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Volkswagen-owned brand debuted a one-off version of the Chiron that took inspiration from the Type 57SC Atlantic, which was dubbed La Voiutre Noire. While the hypercar's styling was inspired by the Type 57SC Atlantic, it doesn't have an "Atlantic" badge and wasn't officially called "Atlantic", so this filing doesn't seem to be related to its release.
What could Bugatti be doing with the Atlantic name, then? It's possible that Bugatti is just covering the name off so it cannot be claimed by another automaker (Atlantic isn't a very particular vehicle name, after all), or it could plan on using it on a forthcoming new Chiron-based model. It may also be reserved for a new Bugatti vehicle altogether. The brand is said to be working on an SUV, so perhaps the Atlantic name will appear on a production version of the rumoured high-priced utility.
If the Atlantic name does see the light of day once again, you can bet that any model it appears on will be powerful, expensive and built in very low numbers.
