With its incredible 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine fitted into an equally mad and well-developed chassis, Bugatti is the entity that chases speed records in the twenty-first century. However, Ettore Bugatti, a Frenchman of Italian descent, founded the Bugatti brand in Italy in 1909.
Don’t you dream you had one when you see the gorgeous Bugatti? Bugatti, which Volkswagen purchased in 1998, has a definite allure for auto fans. The most expensive purchase ever made is the $19 million La Voiture Noire by Bugatti. Let us look at 10 amazing facts that you probably didn’t know about Bugatti.
10. Bugatti Created The Fastest Train In The World
One of the first contemporary high-speed rail networks in the world was created by Ettore Bugatti. In Alsace, France, close to the Bugatti facility, his first RAILCAR was tested in 1933. Before that period, big steam engines pulled practically all trains.
The Bugatti railcars were manufactured as single, double, or triple ‘car’ units, with two or four 12.7 liter internal combustion engines positioned centrally in one of the cars. Each car was positioned on two eight-wheel bogies, with the linked engines driving two or four of the eight axles through input shafts with pneumatic clutches and reversing gears.
9. Diamond-Studded Speedometer
If your multimillion-dollar Bugatti isn’t pricey or uncommon enough, the manufacturer will happily allow you to check a box that allows you to install one-carat diamonds in the speedometer. Bugatti hasn’t revealed how many buyers have chosen this option. Diamonds are standard on all Chirons, albeit they are relatively hidden. Each of the four woofers in the Accuton sound system has a one-carat diamond coating for maximum auditory fidelity.
8. The Factory Was Burnt Twice
Since its founding by Ettore Bugatti in Molsheim, France, in 1909, Bugatti has been testing the limits of physics and engine power in the pursuit of speed. One of its prototype engines caused a significant fire in 1939 as a result of a testing explosion.
According to reports, the neighboring area was also in danger of being consumed. The 1,200 horsepower mill is said to have produced so much heat in 2001 during the first Veyron engine’s testing that the factory’s structure was in danger of being burned.
7. Winner Of 24 Hours Of Le Mans
Bugatti has two 24 Hours of Le Mans wins in addition to Grand Prix victories. The first was driven by Jean-Pierre Wimille and co-driver Robert Benoist in 1937. Jean-Pierre Wimille and Pierre Veyron won the race in 1939 with a small team and only one car.
The car was a Bugatti Type 57C powered by a Bugatti 3.3-liter Supercharged straight-eight engine. Jean Bugatti, Ettore Bugatti’s son, designed the Bugatti Type 57C after his father died in 1939 while testing a Type 57 race car. Pierre Veyron’s name was eventually immortalized with the Bugatti Veyron model, as was Louis Chiron’s, who primarily participated in Grand Prix events and had the most podium finishes.
6. Fastest Production Car
The Bugatti Veyron, which held the production car speed record for much of the last two decades, established extraordinarily high standards for the Chiron. The Chiron, on the other hand, met and even exceeded them.
Bugatti reached a high speed of 304.773 mph with a pre-production Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019. Although the peak speed was not officially acknowledged, the Chiron is expected to be the first production car to exceed 300 mph, as it has already been demonstrated to be feasible.
5. A 1935 Bugatti Aircraft
This unusual airplane was developed in 1937 when founder Ettore Bugatti believed that by developing a plane, he could win the Deutsch de la Merthe Cup Race. Despite being one of the most technologically advanced airplanes of the time, it never flew until now. Bugatti enthusiasts have created an exact copy of this masterpiece, which had been on display at the Art of Bugatti exhibition and will make its debut appearance on March 25, 2014, in Oxnard, California.
The 100P was developed before the best Allies fighters of World War II and featured cutting-edge aerodynamics, forward-pitched wings, a zero-drag cooling system, and computerized flight controls. With dual 450-hp engines, the aircraft can fly at speeds up to 500 mph, which is twice as fast as other aircraft that just have one 450-hp engine. Perhaps the brilliant mind behind this bird didn’t even realize how far ahead of his time!
4. Most Advanced Aerodynamics
Any car that can produce as much power as the Chiron can have exceptionally high aerodynamic efficiency to be both safe and simple to operate. Because of this, it is said that Bugatti spent 300 hours in the wind tunnel perfecting Chiron’s aerodynamics. The Chiron’s curved shape guarantees smooth airflow, and the apron has been specially designed for optimal aerodynamic effectiveness. The Chiron’s body features numerous air intakes, including one on the referenced C-shaped curve in the side profile.
3. Artistry Beauty
The design has always been a strength for Bugatti. Just take a look at the Type 57SC Atlantic from the 1930s or the Type 252 from the 1950s, two of the most stunning classic European vehicles ever created. The Chiron was not to be any different, according to Bugatti. The Chiron kept the Veyron’s overall silhouette but had a far better appearance thanks to a more assertive front end, trim four-piece LED headlights, and a C-shaped curve on the side evoking vintage Bugattis.
2. Bugatti Is Now Bugatti-Rimac
It is well known that Volkswagen owned Bugatti during the production of the Veyron and Chiron, but the company is now moving into a new era. Even though the business was only founded in 2009, Rimac now holds a majority 55 percent stake in it, and its founder Mate Rimac has been appointed CEO.
The complicated agreement allows two of the most successful hypercar manufacturers in their particular categories of combustion and electrification to now share technology. Porsche also has a stake in the venture and serves as a strategic partner. Plans are largely unknown, aside from the fact that a Chiron replacement without the need of a W16 engine and with hybridization should debut in 2027. Despite Rimac’s expertise with electric drivetrains.
1. You Have To Be A Billionaire To Own Bugatti
The Bugattis are stunning limited-production supercars with the ability to reach top speeds of 300 mph. It is not inexpensive! The Chiron’s starting price was around $2.5 million, but it changed based on the model and the buyer’s choices.