The Bugatti Type 59 Book
in Collaboration with Marc Newson
How do you capture the legacy of one of the most beautiful racing cars ever built?
Commissioned as a tribute to the rarest of Grand Prix icons, The Bugatti Type 59 Book is a three-volume Magnum Opus that bridges the gap between art and academia. Designed by Tales of Tomorrow in collaboration with Marc Newson and authored by a group of Bugatti historians.
The 920-page work unfolds the car’s full life cycle—from its design in 1930s Molsheim to its final races and collectors' garages. Tales of Tomorrow crafted the Art Direction and editorial design, using typography, layout, and visual storytelling to breathe new life into over 1,500 archival photographs, original technical drawings, and exclusive renderings. Each page blends historic precision with aesthetic sensitivity, making the experience of reading the book feel as refined as viewing an art object.
Industrial designer Marc Newson—himself a Type 59 owner—designed the aluminium slipcase and sculptural stand. Each was machined from solid metal blocks, echoing the car’s own materiality and craftsmanship. The result is a publishing object that feels both contemporary and timeless—equal parts artefact and archive.
“The Bugatti Type 59 Book is not a coffee table book. Don't look for it; there is no term to describe this extraordinary work in any way.”
Book I explores every detail of the Type 59’s engineering—from chassis to engine—through sharp black-and-white visuals, original blueprints, and exclusive CAD drawings. The technical design pays tribute to the car’s mechanical logic and structural elegance.
Visually bold and image-driven, Book II brings the Grand Prix years of the 1930s to life through large-format reproductions of previously unseen photographs, posters, and period artwork—a visual narrative shaped by the motion and intensity of racing’s golden age.
Book III shifts into color, tracing the afterlives of the surviving Type 59s through time and restoration. The design embraces clarity and contrast to foreground Michael Furman’s studio photography—revealing each car’s present-day character in exquisite detail.
Printed in five-color metallic, the book sets a new benchmark in production quality. Archival images—many reproduced from glass negatives for the first time—gleam with the depth and detail of silver gelatin prints, more often seen in exhibitions than in automotive publishing.
The typography channels the spirit of the 1930s—blending Art Deco elegance with contemporary clarity to create a design that feels both timeless and precise.
Marc Newson drew inspiration for the slipcase and stand from distinctive elements of the car—celebrating the iconic automobile through design. The book itself is available in three editions and five cover options, each honoring one of the surviving Type 59 racing cars with a unique design.
“This highly exclusive limited edition is in a different league thanks to the very talented team and generous owners involved.”
The book premiered at Rétromobile 2025 in Paris, where it was unveiled alongside three historic Type 59s—an unprecedented gathering that underscored its significance. The launch continued with further activations at The ICE in St. Moritz, bringing the story of this iconic car to life in the heart of the Alps.
- Services
Editorial Design
Storytelling
Content Creation
Web Design
Media Assets - With & For
110% Publishing
- Team
Text: Julius Kruta, Mark Morris, Peter Moss, Eckhard Schimpf
Design & Engineering Slipcase & Stand, Creative Direction Cover & Sleeve:
Marc Newson
Art Direction Book & Editorial Design:
Tales of Tomorrow: Christiane Patic, Elvira Barriga, Bernardo Berga
Illustrations: Laurent Pierson, Nico Lima
Contemporary Photography: Rémi Dargegen, Dominic Fraser, Michael Furman, Keno Zache