On Monday, French automaker Bugatti announced the next addition to its legendary line:
The Chiron
Named after legendary Bugatti driver Louis Chiron—winner of nearly every significant grand prix during the 1920s and 1930s—the glamorous debut of the new super sports car will take place during 2016 at the 86th Geneva Motor Show. Upon release, Bugatti believes Chiron will not only be the fastest, but also the most powerful, luxurious, and exclusive production sports car on the planet.
An abstracted form of Louis Chiron’s signature will be found as stitching on the headrest of the new Bugatti super sports car.
Like other rare releases, the Bugatti Chiron is already in high-demand, and more than 100 pre-orders have already been placed by those few fortunate enough to afford one (the car is expected to retail for roughly $2.5 million USD).
“With the Chiron, we will make the best significantly better,” said Bugatti President Wolfgang Dürheimer. “[setting] new standards in every respect.”
Chiron on the track in a Type 51 in 1931
In every respect is undoubtedly the most apt way to surmise the lengths to which Bugatti has gone to prepare this Chiron for its world-premiere. Several prototypes of the car have been distributed across the globe for rigorous testing in a variety of environments, climates, and road conditions. This stringent examination is meant to ensure no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of perfection.
So far, feedback for the Bugatti Chiron from those lucky enough to have seen a prototype has been—in a word—outstanding.
Even Lydie Barre-Chiron—biographer and kin of Louis—gave the car rave reviews, stating:
“The Chiron is a modern super sports car that is instantly recognisable as a Bugatti. It looks fantastic, just magnificent. The design already indicates [the] car will be very powerful and very fast. If Louis Chiron were alive today, I’m sure he would be proud that such an extraordinary sports car is to bear his name…”
“In Louis Chiron, we found a worthy patron for a new model in the history of our brand,” said Dürheimer.
“The name of the best racing driver and the most successful Bugatti driver of his time for the best super sports car of the present day – that is the ideal combination.”
Louis Chiron in a Bugatti Type 51 doing a pit stop – sketched by a Bugatti designer
Born in Monte Carlo on August 3, 1899, Chiron learned to drive courtesy of a chauffeur and honed his skill driving for the French Army during WWI before becoming one of the true legends of motorsport lore.
Starting in 1925, Chiron entered and won several races as a private (unsponsored) contestant behind the wheel of a Bugatti Type 30. Through a generous benefactor, Chiron upgraded to a Type 35—one of the most successful racing cars of all time—for the ‘26 season, when he would win his first marquee race, the Comminges Grand Prix.
His continued successes on the track not only attracted the attention of Ettore Bugatti himself, but ensured the name Chiron became synonymous with the Bugatti brand. By 1928, he was the number one driver in the Bugatti works team behind the wheel of the Type 35C.
Chiron would go on to win dozens of races using a variety of Bugatti’s cars including the famous 16-cylinder Type 45, and the Type 51.
To learn more about the prestigious history of Bugatti, the Bugatti Chiron, or any other Bugatti model, contact H.R. Owen Bugatti.
Louis Chiron Portrait
