The on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bugatti teases Chiron again, shows and tells us nothing

The television spots Infiniti released in the eighties for the original Q45 still carry the torch for arcane teaser commercials, but Bugatti might try to steal some of that light this year. The Franco-German automaker released a 41-second teaser video for the Chiron with quick-cut shots of just about everything except the supercar. The fighter jet, the volcano, even the guy running on top of the sideways skyscraper we get, since the tagline is "Breaking new dimensions." But the elevator and the drummer? We already know the rumor that it's going to break the Veyron Super Sport's terminal velocity, hitting something above 290 miles per hour. Continuing the theme of tweaks that advance the entire package, it's been reported that an analog speedometer will keep track of that vitesse with hash marks running all the way to 500 kilometers per hour, taking the place of the centrally-placed tachometer. Cabin ergonomics should take a step up, while a larger windshield will improve visibility, and the seating position moves outward to become more conventional. Oh, and since the car is named after French auto racer Louis Chiron and not the mythological Greek centaur, it is pronounced Shir-on, not Kai-ron. You can check out the latest teaser in the video above - at 41 seconds, the spot is about a second less than the time it took the standard Veyron to hit its top speed. Related Video:

Bugatti to build composite, carbon fiber, and aluminum versions of Baby II

At the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Bugatti announced the revival of one of the most unique cars in the company's storied history: the Baby. At the time of the announcement, the project was still in its infant stages, and the only available example was a 3D-printed model. Still, that didn't stop buyers from reserving all 500 examples of the Baby II within three weeks. Months later at its 110th anniversary celebration in Molsheim, France, Bugatti showed the first functioning prototype, which special VIPs were allowed to test drive. Dubbed "XP1", this prototype is the result of a collaboration between Bugatti and The Little Car Company. Bugatti wanted to make a modern and more accessible version of the Baby, which itself is modeled after a different legend, the 1924 Type 35 Lyon Grand Prix car. Although the original Baby was half scale, Bugatti set out to build a three-quarter-size model that could fit not only kids but certain adults, as well.  In building the Baby II, Bugatti tried to replicate as much as it possibly could to bring the Type 35's essence back to life. Some of the coolest features include a hollow front axle, eight-spoke wheels (which now have Michelin tires), the four-spoke steering wheel, a turned aluminum dashboard with a clock "used for measuring race performance," and a digital recreation of the fuel pressure gauge. Although French Racing Blue was used for the prototype, Bugatti says the Baby II can be painted in modern colors from the Chiron range or from vintage colors that are tied to specific racers or events from the company's history. The Baby II, which is rear-wheel drive and has a limited-slip differential, can be ordered with either a 1.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack or a 2.8-kWh pack, which is expected to have a range close to 20 miles. Those packs will feed an electric powertrain that can be set to 1-kW Child Mode that can reach about 12 mph or or 4-kW Adult Mode, which can reach up to 28 mph.  Possibly the most interesting news at the launch is detailing about three different available versions of the Baby II. The base Baby II will be crafted with a composite body, the Baby II Vitesse will have a carbon fiber body, and the Baby II Pur Sang will wear a hand-built aluminum body.

Bugatti Chiron to cost $2.5 million

Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said the mission of the coming Chiron is to outdo the Veyron "in all dimensions." Durheimer also said that "the price/prestige axis is one of the fundamental axes at Bugatti," which explains why Car magazine's sources say the Chiron will cost 2.2 million euros. At the present exchange rate that's $2.471 million, but more importantly, in Car's home currency it's a 650,000-pound premium over the Veyron – an extra million dollars. The price premium is misleading, though, since Bugatti hasn't sold a Veyron with an MSRP of 'just' $1.5 million in a few years. The standard Grand Sport Vitesse listed at $2.5 million, and that was before the end-of-run Grand Sport Vitesse special editions began rolling out, any of which could have been called the Bugatti Blank Check Edition. So when prospective buyers were told they could get the Chiron's 1,480 horsepower, 0-to-62 mph time of 2.3 seconds, upgraded technology, better gas mileage, 288-mph top speed, and more comfortable ride and handling for about the same price as the old car, their first question might have been, "So what's the catch?" Car says Bugatti intends to build 500 Chirons, 50 more examples than the Veyron got. We could see it as soon as next year's Geneva Motor Show.