New limited-edition Bugatti rumored for Pebble Beach

The Supercar Blog has heard from its VIP sources that Bugatti has a new special-edition offering planned for debut at Pebble Beach. The Molsheim brand enjoys playing to its deep-pocketed crowd at the annual Northern California fest, having introduced the special edition $5.8M Divo there last year, and regularly hosting Grand Tour driving events around the concours. TSB didn't get details on the coming model, but it was told that part of its production run has already been sold.

In 2017, ex-Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said the identity of a Chiron successor would need to be answered by this year, after spending 2018 exploring different ideas. Current brand CEO Stephan Winkelmann has spoken broadly about his intention for the automaker and vaguely about what kinds of models could come. He's repeatedly nixed the idea of a Bugatti SUV and said sedans constitute "a segment that is losing momentum," so a four-door wouldn't be worthwhile. And although he has said the brand "still [has] a lot of plans" for the W16 engine, he most recently mentioned a more affordable, electric daily-driver, perhaps something that would sit on a brand new platform. Whatever gets the green light as a second model, its primary task is to increase Bugatti's volume.

If a report in Automobile from last September is accurate, we should expect three Chiron-based trims to show before the production run ends: a go-faster SS, a Superleggera, and a targa Aperta. Winkelmann has also said he doesn't want to do an Aperta version of the Chiron; still, we're left with nearly every option open for the rumored debut at Pebble. TSB says Bugatti is working to unveil two new cars per year. The La Voiture Noire was one, the Pebble Beach car could be the second, and there's another rumor of a third car to come at the Grand Tour drive. Just two months away from the event, it's likely we'll start getting glimpses before a reveal on the lawn.

By Jonathon Ramsey