The Type 18 ‘Black Bess’ was one of the most important pre-War Bugattis – Ettore Bugatti himself campaigned it in numerous races, and also steered it to a class win at the 1912 Mont Ventoux Hillclimb. Its 5-litre, four-cylinder engine boasted 100HP and could surpass 100mph, also making it one of the fastest road cars of the era.

At the Auto China in Beijing, 21 to 29 April, Bugatti will publicly reveal the modern interpretation of Black Bess, based on a Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse – meaning 1,200HP and 253.5mph. The new edition will be limited to three examples, costing €2.15m apiece. Its inspiration, which in turn was named after an English racehorse, today resides in the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands.

Photos: Bugatti