Few cars ever debut and utterly change how a category is defined.

The Bugatti Veyron is one of those rare and incredible instances.

To fully understand the Veyron, one must also understand the man who initiated its development.

Ferdinand Piech, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, graduated from ETH Zurich with a degree in mechanical engineering.

His thesis focused on the development of Formula One engines, which would set the tone for his entire automotive career.

Beginning with his efforts at the company his family started, Piech worked on the development of the Porsche 906 race car and the subsequent chassis that led up to the dominant 917 of the late 1960s and early ’70s.

In 1972, he made the move over to Audi in Ingolsadt.

As the manager of technical engineering, he developed the Audi 80 and 100.

The first became 1973 European Car of the Year, while the latter was Audi’s most commercially successful vehicle built to that point.

In 1977 Piech directed Audi’s entry into the World...