Skip to main content

That was fast: A pair of Bugatti Chirons are already heading to auction

Bugatti Chiron offered for sale by Mecum Auctions
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Just 10 months after the first examples of the Bugatti Chiron were delivered to customers, at least two of the supercars are headed to auction. It’s a handy way to get your hands on a Chiron now rather than later (the production line moves at a glacial pace, with just 70 cars built in 2017), but you’ll need to plan a heist in order to get the cash for one of these supercars.

RM Sotheby’s will offer a Chiron at its Paris auction, which begins February 7. Set to be delivered in April, the car in question was one of the first 20 Chirons to leave Bugatti’s factory in Molsheim, France. It wears a two-tone Atlantic Blue and French Racing Blue paint scheme, with brown leather and contrast stitching on the inside. Other distinguishing touches include a carbon-fiber steering wheel and Maritime Blue brake calipers. The car has less than 620 miles on the odometer, and RM Sotheby’s expects it to sell for between $3.8 million and $4.3 million, an increase over the roughly $3 million the original owner likely paid.

Recommended Videos

A second Chiron will cross the block January 13 at the Mecum Auctions sale in Kissimmee, Florida. This car (pictured above) has a Black Carbon and Blue Carbon two-tone exterior that showcases the weave of the Chiron’s carbon-fiber bodywork beneath translucent color finishes. The interior is upholstered in black leather with red contrast stitching. Mecum says the car has just 249 miles on the clock.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to part with a Chiron. Bugatti’s latest supercar features an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine similar to the one used in its Veyron predecessor, producing 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque. The Chiron does 0 to 60 mph in well under three seconds, and it’s a serious contender for the mantle of fastest production car in the world, a record the old Veyron Super Sport held.

But many car buyers view their vehicles as investments, and it’s probably not a bad time to be selling a Chiron. Some people will inevitably get impatient and, rather than wait for a brand-new car from the factory, buy one at auction instead. This kind of flipping isn’t something automakers generally approve of, but it’s a reality of the capitalistic world of supercars.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work
Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Read more
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more
EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says
ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.

Read more