1931 - Bugatti Royale on 2040-cars

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110 ans Bugatti Chiron is a red, white and blue anniversary special

Few cars on the planet are as exclusive at the Bugatti Chiron. The multi-million-dollar price tag is part of it, but there's also the simple fact that so few are made. The French automaker, currently owned by Volkswagen, was founded 110 years ago by Ettore Bugatti. To celebrate both the company's anniversary and its French heritage, Bugatti revealed a limited-edition version of last year's Chiron Sport, a more capable version of the Veyron's successor. The Chiron Sport simply refined an already bonkers model, cutting weight thanks to lightweight wheels, thinner glass and even more carbon fiber. The suspension and steering were re-tuned, too, though the 1,479-horsepower quad-turbocharged W16 engine was left untouched. The 110 ans Bugatti doesn't add any more performance, though it doesn't really need it anyway. For those discerning customers that want a Bugatti that corners, look no further than the Divo. The 110 ans Bugatti will be limited to just 20 examples. Though Bugatti doesn't mention it, all are likely spoken for. The car looks so French it's liable to play "La Marseillaise" every single time you open the door. The entire exterior has been painted a deep matte blue. The brake calipers are a brighter shade, reminiscent of French racing blue. The brightest and arguably best exterior touches are the French flag's red, white and blue tricolor bars on the mirrors, fuel door and rear wing. The latter is only visible when the movable wing is in it's up position. The leather interior is done up in the same shade as the exterior. Deep blue leather covers nearly every surface, though the seats and seatbelts are done in the same blue as the brake calipers. The seats themselves feature a tricolor stripe along the center, split in the headrest by a "110 ans Bugatti" logo. The steering wheel, too, gets a French flag in the top center of the rim. Related Video:

$4.4M Bugatti Bolide moves down the track and closer to production

Unveiled in 2020, and approved for production a year later, the Bugatti Bolide is one step closer to hitting the track. The automaker just published photos of the car being put through its paces, and it released details about some of features that differentiate it from the Chiron. Writing off the Bolide as a rebodied Chiron would be an oversimplification. While the two cars share an 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine, the list of Bolide-specific parts is long. Bugatti explains that its engineers designed the model around a new carbon fiber monocoque, and they were unfettered by the various rules and regulations that shape modern cars because the Bolide isn't street-legal. It's exclusively a track car. Changes were made to the cooling system, the suspension system, and the transmission; the suspension is notably three times stiffer than the Chiron's, and it includes uniball bearings. Several 3D-printed parts, including titanium rockers, will be used to build it. Even the engine isn't carried over; not quite. In the Bolide, the four turbochargers always provide boost because the 16-cylinder is expected to spend a lot of time at higher revolutions. In comparison, the Chiron uses a sequential setup: The two smaller turbos generate boost at up to 3,800 rpm, and the two bigger units kick in beyond that. The end result is 1,578 horsepower in a car that tips the scale at 3,196 pounds.  Slick tires designed by Michelin put the power to the ground, while a carbon-ceramic braking system keeps it in check. Interestingly, Bugatti designed new calipers that generate and absorb heat to help the brakes warm up as quickly as possible (they're less effective when cold). Bugatti will begin delivering the Bolide in 2024. Production is limited to 40 units, and the model is sold out in spite of a base price pegged at ˆ4 million excluding taxes, which represents approximately $4.39 million at the current conversion rate. If that's too much, or if you missed your chance to buy one, one alternative is a 905-piece Lego Technic kit that stretches about a foot long and that costs about $50. It's too early to tell what's next. We know that the Bolide is one of the last W16-powered Bugatti models along with the Mistral convertible and the final examples of the Chiron.

Car-crazy 5-year-old boy writes automakers for treasures, gets big response

Part of the beauty of children is that they can find worth in something adults might deem unworthy or overlook entirely. Five-year-old Patch Hurty didn't see garbage or a broken piece of a car when he spotted a Ford badge lying on the side of a road. He saw an artifact, a souvenir, a start to a collection he could only dream of. Ezra Dyer of Popular Mechanics tells the story of Patch and his quest to turn that one lost badge into a museum of manufacturer logos. According to the article, Hurty is a car fanatic through and through, even using car names as a way of learning to read. After finding the Ford badge near his Connecticut home, he and his mom put together a plan to reach out to dozens of automakers, confessing his love of things on four wheels. In each letter, Patch assembled a picture of himself standing next to one of the cars, and a penny to pay for whatever he hoped was sent his way. The response was unexpectedly and overwhelmingly positive. Of the more than 50 letters he sent out, including to obscure or defunct companies such as Bugatti, Suzuki, and Saturn, a majority responded with warm notes and some type of souvenir. Two of the coolest responses came from Lincoln and Bentley. Lincoln sent a sketch of a Continental (all car lovers enjoy drawing cars, right?), and Bentley sent a wheel center cap. How awesome is that? The story reminds us of something that can easily be lost in all of the negativity involved with the auto industry: Everybody is in this because of a common infatuation with automobiles. For more details on the souvenirs Patch received and accompanying photos, read the rest of the story. Related Video: News Source: Popular Mechanics Read This Bentley Bugatti Ford Lincoln Saturn Suzuki