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The Bugatti Baby II is a three-quarter-scale Type 35

Bugatti ownership is about to get a lot more affordable — particularly for children with indulgent parents. The French supercar company has announced the Bugatti Baby II, a follow-up to a model produced from 1927 to 1936. Like the original baby Bugatti, a model originally built for the 4-year-old son of Ettore Bugatti, the Baby II is modeled after the Type 35 grand prix car. The Baby II is only about 1/100th of the price of the Chiron Sport at 30,000 Euro (about $33,700). And because it's a three-quarter-scale replica rather than the original's half-scale, it's possible for adults and not just children to squeeze behind the wheel. Finished in French Racing Blue (although other colors can be specified), the Baby II also features eight-spoke aluminum wheels, a leather driver's seat, and an aluminum-trimmed dash displaying a numbered plaque. On the hood is Bugatti's "Macaron" badge, rendered in solid silver, just the thing for the silver-spoon set. As with the original, the Baby II features an electric powertrain and rear-wheel drive, although here it has been upgraded to incorporate a lithium-ion battery, regenerative braking, and even a limited-slip differential. Whereas the full-size Chiron supercar has 1,479 horsepower from its 16-cylinder engine, the smaller-scale Bug is somewhat less powerful, with an electric motor offering 1.3 horsepower in "child mode," which is good for 12 mph; an "adult mode" increases output to just over 5 hp and raises top speed to 28 mph. But just as the Chiron offers an optional Speed Key that unleashes the powertrain's full potential, so too does the Baby II — in this case 13 horsepower with no speed limiter. Typical for Bugatti, production is limited. Only 500 units will be built, about the same number as the 1920s–'30s original. Related Video:

Bugatti says an emphatic 'no' to SUVs

Last we heard from Bugatti President, Stephen Winkelmann, the French supercar company had plans for a Bugatti SUV in the future. Today Winkelmann is dashing any such notion emphatically. In a report issued by the company discussing its 2018 performance, Winkelmann declared, "There will be no SUV from Bugatti. An SUV would not do justice to the brand or its history." That sounds pretty clear cut and definitive to us, so consider Bugatti the second supercar manufacturer to disavow the high-riding body style. McLaren is the only other dog in this fight opposing the proliferation of crossovers and SUVs — and for that we salute you, McLaren. The Lamborghini Urus is out and about, and Ferrari's version of an SUV is hot on its heels. Now that the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan exist, they can cater to the luxury crowd, too. We can be glad Bugatti isn't going down the same path as all these other companies. However, Winkelmann didn't rule out any kind of a luxury sedan body style for a future vehicle. The brand has firmly cemented itself in the performance arena with the Veyron, Chiron and more recent Divo variant, but these cars are still only produced in extremely small quantities. For reference, Bugatti says it produced all of 76 Chirons in 2018. A total of 500 are planned through 2021. This appears to be fine for now, as Bugatti hasn't hinted that is is trying to expand. Bugatti happens to be celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2019, and it promises a few surprises in the form of "the presentation of further models." Bugatti has a tendency to come out with even faster versions of cars some years after debuting a car that's ridiculously fast already, so we could be looking at further derivations of the Chiron. That said, we can always hope for even more models and be content knowing that none of them will be a utility vehicle. Related video:

Bugatti reveals track-only Bolide's purpose-designed interior

Bugatti has done a good job of documenting the Bolide's transition from a wild-looking concept car to a limited-edition production model, but we've been missing one key piece of the puzzle: the interior. The wait is over, and the brand revealed what the hypercar looks like inside. Every part of the cabin was developed specifically for the Bolide, so the overall layout looks nothing the Chiron's. Bugatti built the model around a new carbon fiber monocoque, and starting from scratch allowed it to set a new seating position described as race car-like. Fittingly, the Bolide is being developed exclusively for track use. The brand paid special attention to the steering wheel, which features an X-shaped design that echoes the shape of the rear lights. It's easily removable, and Bugatti notes it can serve as decoration when not in use. The driver sits on a seat that's layered directly onto the monocoque, meaning the Bolide is the first Bugatti model built with fixed seats. This solution saves weight because it doesn't require seat rails, and as a trade-off the driver can adjust the steering column and the pedals to find a comfortable seating position. Buyers will have four seat packages to choose from, including one tailored to their exact dimensions. And, like every Bugatti model, the Bolide will be highly customizable: leather, Alcantara and suede are among the types of upholstery offered. Bugatti notes that its test drivers played a significant role in shaping the Bolide's interior. The brand put eight commonly-used buttons on the steering wheel, and it developed a digital instrument cluster with two built-in modes. The first mode displays the kind of advanced data that a test driver would want, while the second focuses on the essentials. There's no touchscreen because there's no infotainment system, but the slanted center console features a handful of buttons as well as four cool-looking climate control system vents shaped like exhaust outlets. Power for the Bolide comes from an evolution of Bugatti's familiar 8.0-liter W16 engine. In this application, it's quad-turbocharged to develop 1,578 horsepower; that's a lot even without context, but it becomes even more impressive when you factor in the car's 3,196-pound weight. Bugatti Bolide production is scheduled to start in 2024 and pricing starts at approximately ˆ4 million excluding taxes, which represents around $4.36 million at the current conversion rate.