And also because it shares something in common with a two-decade-old Citroën – Executive Digest

Combining stunning technical specifications with stunning style, the Bugatti Tourbillon is on the lips of the motoring world for all sorts of reasons. They are also extremely fast, impossibly expensive, and are a rare species due to their limited production.

However, there is one detail that has not escaped the attention of speed lovers: an interior peculiarity shared with the old Citroen model.

Molsheim's new supercar has a fixed steering axle, much like another French car launched about 20 years ago. Hey 2004 C4 Compact Hatchback It followed a similar philosophy, where only the edge was rotated while the center remained fixed.

The idea was to always keep all the buttons in the same position, even if the driver turned the steering wheel to the left or right. Not only the buttons, but also the warning lights related to the headlights mounted at the top of the steering wheel hub.

Citroën has incorporated this unusual design into other cars, including the C4 Picasso and C5. However, it will be abandoned. However, two decades later, another top-tier French brand is reviving the idea, taking it to a whole new level. The titanium instrument panel was developed in collaboration with Swiss watchmakers, and is affixed to the steering wheel hub.

This means you will always have an unobstructed view of the discs. The 10,000 rpm tachometer and 550 km/h speedometer can be seen through the rim of the powerful steering wheel. The instrument panel is mostly analogue, except for a small display that shows the speed and gear the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is in.

Although the fixed steering wheel hub is mainly associated with Citroën and brought back to competitor Bugatti, the idea was not born in France. The 1972 Maserati Boomerang had a similar philosophy – although, come to think of it, actually linked to the French, as the discs came from the Citroën SM. This is because the company owned Maserati between 1968 and 1975.

And then there Koenigsegg and Jesco, with the steering wheel hub not fixed in place, with the digital instrument cluster installed. How it works? The display is gyroscopic, so the scale rotates with the wheel, ensuring the reading always remains horizontal.