Bugatti Riyadh Becomes Marque’s Newest Middle Eastern Showroom

Ever since the introduction of the trailblazing Veyron in 2005, customers in Saudi Arabia have been drawn to Bugatti – seduced by its performance, luxury, and exclusivity. The Kingdom has grown – as Bugatti has evolved – into one of the largest markets for the world’s most exclusive hyper sports cars. Today, in partnership with SAMACO Automotive, the magic of Bugatti ownership in Saudi Arabia is more accessible than ever with the launch of Bugatti Riyadh, one of the largest Bugatti showrooms in the world.

The flagship site is nestled within one of Riyadh’s most sought-after districts, perfectly placed, and meticulously designed, to house some of the most advanced hyper sports cars ever created. During a special launch event hosted on November 16th, two of Bugatti’s latest creations, Chiron Pur Sport1 and Chiron Super Sport2, were the guests of honor.

As with any of Bugatti’s global partners, the new Riyadh showroom provides visitors with the special brand experience that customers and guests enjoy at Bugatti’s headquarters in Molsheim, France. The contemporary presentation is dominated by cutting-edge design and fine materials, with distinctive lines and clear surfaces reminiscent of Bugatti hyper sports cars.

Hendrik Malinowski, Bugatti’s Managing Director for Sales and Marketing said: “Saudi Arabia has historically been one of the strongest markets for us. So, to be able to establish a magnificent presence in Riyadh, with the help of our partners at SAMACO Automotive, is a remarkable milestone that we have been looking forward to. Saudi Arabia will only grow in importance as a hub for international trade and as a vibrant, prosperous society. And as it grows, we too will continue to thrive.”

Sheikh Mohammed Raffa, CEO of SAMACO Automotive, commented: “Bugatti’s creations are without equal. I am thrilled to welcome the brand to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and our capital city, Riyadh, which is already home to many of Bugatti’s passionate enthusiasts and customers. I have no doubt that this is the beginning of a long and prosperous partnership between us, and we have many exciting plans to instill the magic of Bugatti across the region which will see the brand’s presence grow significantly.”

Bugatti hosted its very first drive event in Saudi Arabia, as customers explored the dynamism of the Chiron Pur Sport on the coastal roads of Jeddah and the rolling horizons around the city of Riyadh. Bugatti also chose Saudi Arabia as the Middle Eastern location to debut the Chiron Sport ‘Les Legendes du Ciel’ – an exclusive edition paying homage to legendary French pilots central to Bugatti’s history and enduring legend.

In the coming days, Bugatti Riyadh will invite luminaries of the Kingdom to experience the Chiron Pur Sport and the Chiron Super Sport as part of an exclusive event, where clients will have the opportunity to experience the spectrum of performance of the Chiron3 family.

As the most agile Chiron, the Pur Sport is built to conquer corners and to do so with the utmost composure. A tuned chassis combined with dynamic torque vectoring perfectly complement the 1,500PS 8.0-liter W16 engine – always the beating heart and most visceral aspect of the hyper sports car.

The Chiron Super Sport can cover ground like no other automobile. With a top speed of 440 km/h, it is the fastest Bugatti production vehicle, thanks in large part to the completely revised 8.0-liter W16 engine, which produces 1,600 PS. This state-of-the-art marvel of engineering is housed within the hyper sports car’s “longtail” bodywork – extended by approximately 25cm for optimal airflow – creating a combination that knows no equal when it comes to automotive longitudinal performance.

In addition to the grand opening of the showroom, Bugatti Riyadh was also out in force at one of the premier automotive gatherings in the region: the Riyadh Car Show. With a global and regional audience of Bugatti customers and enthusiasts in attendance, the Chiron Sport4, Pur Sport, SuperSport and Bolide5 stood proud alongside some of the world’s leading brands.

Welcome to Geneva, CHIRON Pur Sport!

The Jet d’Eau, the most impressive jet stream in Europe, meets the most agile BUGATTI of the 21st century. Welcome to Geneva, CHIRON Pur Sport!#BUGATTI #BUGATTIChironPurSport #CHIRONPurSport #PurSport pic.twitter.com/1nffRmDk2X

— Bugatti (@Bugatti) July 15, 2020

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport – a pure driving machine

FAST IN CORNERS, VORACIOUS ON COUNTRY ROADS – THAT’S THE NEW CHIRON PUR SPORT

MOLSHEIM 03 03 2020

Flat front end, dynamic design and impressive rear spoiler – it’s clear from the outset that the new Bugatti yearns for corners and challenging country roads. Pure and unadulterated. A genuine thoroughbred. Chiron Pur Sport Bugatti has been producing sports cars homologated for public roads for over 110 years. In the past, vehicles such as the Type 13 and Type 35 have claimed countless victories at international hill climbs and road races. The Chiron Pur Sport is no exception to this long-standing tradition. The new model is an uncompromising hyper sports car for exactly those winding roads – a new aerodynamic configuration generates more downforce while the lower weight increases agility. Even traveling at average speeds will stimulate all the senses thanks to a close-ratio transmission, high-performance tires with a new material mix geared towards extreme grip as well as an agile chassis and suspension setup. By contrast with the Chiron Super Sport 300+, the record-breaking car that exceeded the threshold of 300 miles per hour for the first time, the Chiron Pur Sport focuses on extraordinary, tangible performance throughout the entire range of speeds.

“We spoke to customers and realized they wanted a vehicle that is geared even more towards agility and dynamic cornering. A hyper sports car that yearns for country roads with as many bends as possible. An unadulterated, uncompromising driving machine. Consequently, the vehicle is called Chiron Pur Sport”, explains Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “By cutting the weight by 50 kilograms while simultaneously boosting the downforce and configuring an uncompromising, sporty chassis as well as suspension setup, the boasts incredible grip, sensational acceleration, and extraordinarily accurate handling. It’s the most uncompromising yet agile Bugatti of recent times.” Chiron Pur Sport1 Chiron Pur Sport1

Extraordinary design

The Chiron Pur Sport’s concept has been geared towards agility in every sense of the word. The Design Development department’s focus was to lend the Pur Sport a confident appearance. As a result, the front end is dominated by an intentionally dynamic expression. Very wide air inlets and an enlarged horseshoe panel at the bottom serve as perfect radiator air outlets. The vehicle’s striking splitter generates maximum downforce by protruding considerably at the front while also making the vehicle seem wider. Primary lines run across the air outlets on the front wing like tendons on a muscle, radiating the design image of a well-honed athlete.

A new optional split paintwork design has been developed for the Chiron Pur Sport. The entire bottom third of the vehicle features exposed carbon fiber to make the vehicle seem even lower. From the sides, these dark surfaces merge with the color of the road surface and make the Pur Sport appear even flatter rear of the Pur Sport proudly carries the vehicle’s rear spoiler spanning 1.90 meters to generate serious amounts of downforce, and the striking diffuser also significantly boosts the vehicle’s aerodynamics. In this process, angled wing mounts form a large X in conjunction with the rear apron, a feature that is inspired by elements of science fiction and motorsport. The design is rounded off by the extremely lightweight and highly temperature-resistant exhaust tailpipe made of 3D-printed titanium. This production method gives the components very thin walls, thus helping to save weight where it really matters.

The vehicle interior is deliberately sporty and raw and has been reduced to the absolute minimum. Large surfaces have been upholstered with Alcantara to save weight. Dynamic patterns have been lasered into the Alcantara door trim panels featuring contrasting fabric highlights with a metal look. Alcantara guarantees an ideal grip on the steering wheel and improves the side support on seats – even at extreme lateral acceleration levels. All trim and controls are made exclusively of either black, anodized aluminum or titanium. Contrasting cross-stitching add color highlights, as do the steering wheel’s 12 o’clock spoke and the blue center spine.

Sophisticated aerodynamics and exhaust system

A large diffuser and fixed rear spoiler generate plenty of downforce at the back end, while also helping to boost agility. At the same time, doing away with the hydraulic component of the otherwise automatically extending spoiler reduces the weight by ten kilograms. Rear wing mounts and diffuser form an aggressive and sporty X-shaped design. “We focussed particularly on the agility of the Chiron Pur Sport The vehicle generates more downforce at the rear axle while the large, front splitter, air inlets, wheel-arch vents featuring optimized air outlets and a reduced vehicle height strike a clean balance at the front”, Frank Heyl, Head of Exterior Design and Deputy Head Designer at Bugatti, explains.

New wheel design

Frank Heyl and the Technical Development department teamed up to devise a magnesium wheel design featuring optional aero blades for the Pur Sport. Arranged in a ring, the blades guarantee ideal wheel ventilation while also boosting aerodynamics. While the vehicle is in motion the rings fitted to the rim extract air outwards from the wheel where it is immediately drawn towards the rear. This invention prevents adverse turbulence in the wheel area and also improves the flow across the side of the vehicle. A special cover on each of the five wheel nuts minimizes turbulence and adds a final visual touch to the wheel’s design. Cutting the weight by a total of 16 kilograms results in a lower unladen weight and also reduces the unsprung masses of the already ultra-light Bugatti wheels. “All of the modifications make the Pur Sport’s handling more accurate, direct and predictable. Lower unsprung masses result in improved grip because the wheel maintains contact with the road surface more easily. Anyone behind the wheel will immediately feel its lightweight character through bends”, Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Bugatti Chassis Development, adds. An accomplished interpretation of “form follows performance”.

New tire development

Bugatti and Michelin developed the new and exclusive Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tire in 285/30 R20 dimensions at the front and 355/25 R21 at the rear to match the new Aero wheel design. Thanks to a modified tire structure and a rubber mix that creates more grip, this combination boosts the vehicle’s lateral acceleration by 10% to additionally increase its cornering speed.

Uncompromising chassis and suspension setup

Bugatti specifically configured the chassis and suspension to be uncompromising on winding roads – without any detrimental effect on comfort. A new chassis setup featuring 65% firmer springs at the front and 33% firmer springs at the rear, an adaptive damping control strategy geared towards performance as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees) guarantee even more dynamic handling and added agility in bends. Carbon-fiber stabilizers at the front and rear additionally minimize roll. “This setup makes the Chiron Pur Sport steer more directly and accurately through bends and maintains the grip levels for a very long time – even at high speeds. In conjunction with 19 kilograms of weight reduction of the unsprung masses the Pur Sport almost glides across roads”, Jachin Schwalbe explains. In addition to the wheels’ weight reduction totaling 16 kilograms, titanium brake pad base panels cut the vehicle’s weight by a further two kilograms while brake discs strike yet another kilogram of the total weight. “These 19 kilograms fully contribute towards the performance. Fewer weight results in more grip and tangibly more comfort, as adaptive dampers are forced to deal with lower masses to thus be able to maintain the wheels’ contact with the road surface more easily”, Jachin Schwalbe adds. Engineers have guaranteed more direct contact with the road surface by making the connection between chassis, suspension and body 130% firmer at the front and 77% firmer at the rear. Apart from the four familiar EB, Motorway, Handling and Sport drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport features the new Sport + drive mode to make this enhanced performance more emotionally tangible. In contrast to Sport mode, the traction control system kicks into action on dry race tracks at a significantly later point in the new mode aimed at more skilled cornering experts, making it possible for drivers to change their personal driving style even more than before from razor-sharp ideal lines to drifts, also through fast corners.

New transmission development

A new transmission featuring an overall gear ratio that has been configured 15% closer together guarantees even more dynamic handling and further improves the power distribution of the 8.0-liter W16 engine generating 1,500 horsepower and 1,600-newton meters of torque. The vehicle now unleashes its full power at 350 km/h. “We were forced to reduce the speed as a result of the vastly increased downforce, generated by the new rear spoiler”, Schwalbe explains. 80% of the transmission has been revised while the entire gear set including four shafts and seven forward gears has been adapted to the new conditions. “We reconfigured each gear and calibrated new ratios despite this iconic engine boasting an abundance of power. The gears are closer together now to enable shorter gear jumps and also benefit performance. Most of all when coming out of corners the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates even more aggressively in conjunction with the added grip as well as the more direct chassis and suspension”, Gregor Gries says as the Head of Major Assemblies at Bugatti. At the same time, Bugatti has increased the maximum engine speed of the W16 unit by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm. In conjunction with the closer overall gear ratio, this creates significantly better elasticity. As a result, the Chiron Pur Sport accelerates from 60 to 120 km/h almost two seconds faster than the already lightning-fast Chiron All in all the elasticity values are 40% better compared with the Chiron.

Production output and cost

2020 will be a special year for Bugatti. The French manufacturer based in Molsheim will be delivering the first Bugatti Divo vehicles this year, a creation showcased at Pebble Beach in 2018, as part of a limited small-scale series totaling 40 units. Production of the Chiron Pur Sport will start in the second half of 2020. Limited to 60 units at three million euros excluding VAT. “With the Chiron Pur Sport, we are showcasing an outstanding vehicle that makes your heart race shortly after having started the engine to push the limits of driving physics even further to the limit than any vehicle ever has done before. This means we have come full circle, back to the good, old Bugatti tradition”, Stephan Winkelmann adds confidently.

The Chiron’s production run enters its second half

The 250th Bugatti Chiron is ready to leave the legendary Atelier

Molsheim, 19th of February 2020 A big day for the little village of Molsheim – a tradition-steeped place and home to the production site of the most exclusive hyper sports cars in the world. Three years after the first client received their brand new Chiron, production has reached its second half. After several weeks of meticulous craftsmanship, the 250th Chiron is ready to be sent out into the world. Furthermore, this Chiron Sport “Edition Noire Sportive” will be given a place of honor at the International Motor Show in Geneva.

To the brand’s president Stephan Winkelmann, this event also holds special significance: “After a year full of records, this 250th Chiron represents the cornerstone for another year of extraordinary accomplishments. Every single Chiron has proven that we are rightfully standing at the pinnacle of automotive craftsmanship.”

The French luxury brand astonished car enthusiasts all over the world with the Chiron in Geneva 2016 – and the hyper sports car still remains in great demand. With 250 cars produced and more than 150 already paid for, fewer than 100 units are still available for sale. The iconic 8.0-liter 16-cylinder engine with up to 1,600 hp represents the highest level of engineering artistry. Besides its impressive performance, the Chiron offers the utmost comfort and ease of driving as well as perhaps the strongest representation of true luxury: peerless exclusivity.

In the heart of the same site where once Ettore Bugatti, founder of the emblematic brand, sought inspiration, every car is created as a unique specimen, thanks to the engineers’ great expertise, attention to detail, and impressive technical sophistication – the Haute Couture of the automotive industry. Christophe Piochon, member of the board at Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S, is proud of this milestone in the history of the brand: „I feel honored to lead such an excellent and dedicated team, and I thank each and every member for their amazing work. One never gets used to the incredible feeling of seeing another Chiron leave our Atelier. Each vehicle is unique, in no way comparable to a fellow member of the Chiron family.“

Only at Bugatti, elegance meets power, tradition meets technical excellence, and uniqueness meets worldwide admiration. “Every Chiron that has left our Atelier in the past three years is a technological masterpiece. This also applies to the 250th specimen. Reaching this mark in such a short amount of time is an amazing accomplishment that fills me with pride. I am looking forward to the second half of the production cycle”, says Stephan Winkelmann.

This 250th Chiron is not only distinctive due to its role in marking the end of the first half of the production cycle. It will also adorn the Bugatti stand at the Geneva International Motor Show at the beginning of March, where clients and invited guests will have the opportunity to admire it in the configuration room for the duration of the event.

Bugatti Presents "La Maison Pur Sang" - Rétromobile

The new range for historical models from the traditional French brand

Tradition is one of the core pillars of Bugatti. Bugatti is launching the new “La Maison Pur Sang” program to enable even better care for the historical vehicles in the future. For the first time, the French luxury brand presented the new offer for the certification and restoration of classic Bugatti automobiles at the Rétromobile Motorshow in Paris, the annual international exhibition of classic vehicles.

The New "La Maison Pur Sang" Program“

Bugatti vehicles have always been special automobiles. Exceptional design, outstanding performance and the latest technology characterize each Bugatti,” emphasizes Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “In order to allow owners to experience and enjoy the outstanding technology flawlessly, we have decided to provide intensive support in our factory with the “La Maison Pur Sang” program.” Luigi Galli, a new specialist for Tradition and Certification at Bugatti, has been in charge of this special task since September. In his role, he is the first point of contact for customers of historic Bugatti automobiles and the various Bugatti clubs.

The program is being rolled out gradually, based on the certification of the authenticity of historic cars. The genuineness of an automobile is determined by Luigi Galli and his team of experts through intensive research of all available information - historical documents, admission registers, photo documents, or even the comparison of certain component numbers. After successive stages of expansion, the restoration of historic automobiles from Bugatti will also be carried out in the future.

“Tradition and history are a great privilege, but also a great responsibility for us. We are always faced by it. We’re conscious of our 110+ years of tradition and want to enable many of our historical vehicles to continue to drive perfectly on the road or to be in collections even after decades,” explains Stephan Winkelmann. "With 'La Maison Pur Sang' we offer an official framework for these automotive treasures. It is very important to protect and preserve Bugatti's tradition and heritage, as well as the existing knowledge of the brand. ”

Bugatti Veyron Turns 15 - with a New Loyalty Program

Fifteen years have passed since its world premiere - and yet the Veyron is as fit as ever with appropriate maintenance. It is not for nothing that Bugatti offers a loyalty program for the Veyron, which makes it possible to extend the guarantee. This makes Bugatti the only manufacturer to offer a warranty on its vehicles even after more than twelve years. Regular, annual maintenance at the authorized Bugatti contract partner is required. Preventive measures and comprehensive service can ensure that the hyper sports car is guaranteed to bring its inner beast to the road in a controlled and reliable manner. The best thing: technical solutions and shorter service times with regular maintenance reduce the total cost for the customer by half.

If you want to give your Veyron a fresh new look, you can do so in the future. In the first step, reconfiguration and restoration is offered for the Bugatti Veyron, followed by recertification. Specially trained technicians in Molsheim examine the vehicles closely and record every detail. Then they combine the results in an extensive booklet. Measurement taking as part of the loyalty program and “La Maison Pur Sang” will further support the positive performance of the Bugatti Veyron in recent few years.

Bugatti Booth at Rétromobile 2020

Photo credit: Bugatti

In addition to the new program, Bugatti shows off part of its glorious tradition. The models of Bugatti Type 35C, EB110 SS and Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport are on the stand of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles; three vehicles that showcase the development of the luxury brand for hyper sports cars from Alsace. “The Bugatti Type 35, EB110 SS and the Veyron represent the three eras of their eventful history, which they are proud to look back on,” said by Stephan Winkelmann. “These vehicles are great examples of our hyper sports car tradition and valuable collectibles that continue to increase in value over time.”

Photo credit: Bugatti

With over 2000 victories, the Type 35 is the most successful racing car of all time. Between 1920 and 1930 it was the car to be beat. For the first time, Ettore Bugatti used a double roller bearing and triple ball bearing crank operation - the crankshaft is still considered an engineering masterpiece today. It could be rotated at up to 6000 rpm to move the eight pistons in the initially 2.0 liter engine. The engine produced up to 140 HP, which almost 100 years ago was an incomparably powerful performance.

After Bugatti hibernated in the late 1950s, Roman Artioli revived the brand in 1987. To this end, he built a new plant in Campogalliano and in 1991 created the EB110, a vehicle with sensational technology. Four-wheel drive, a 3.5-liter V12 engine, 560 hp and a torque of 611 Nm made this Bugatti the fastest production car of its time - in the EB110 SS (Super Sport) version, it drove up to 351 km/h.

With the Veyron, Bugatti redefined the car world under new aegis. It is powered by an eight-liter 16-cylinder engine with over 1000 hp, which accelerates the coupé to over 400 km/h. It is the first production car with over 1,000 hp, the first car that drives at 400 km/h. Nevertheless, it doesn't drive like a rock-hard super sports car, but like a luxurious Gran Coupé. The first hyper sports car in automotive history, an icon and a solitaire of technology. With the Veyron, Bugatti is catapulting itself into a new dimension, setting standards in technology and luxury. In 2010, the 1200 hp Veyron Super Sport set another speed record with a top speed of 431 km/h.

The Retromobile Motorshow in Paris is one of the most important classic car fairs in the world. With 620 exhibitors on 72000 square meters at the center of Paris, the fair attracts more than 130000 visitors annually. Paris has a special meaning for Bugatti. In the city on the Seine, Bugatti presented the EB110 to the public for the first time on September 15th, 1991 - on Ettore Bugatti's 110th birthday. For presentation three EB110s drive over the Champs-Élysées. A historic event to this day - in keeping with the brand.

Photo credit: Bugatti