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Bugatti Baby II Carbon Edition is a scaled-down tribute to the Mistral

Bugatti unveiled a new variant of the Baby II, its smallest and most affordable model. Inspired by the 1,600-horsepower Mistral introduced in 2022, the Baby II Carbon Edition is a scaled-down replica of the Type 35 that's more advanced than its pocket-sized dimensions suggest. While the Baby II Carbon Edition blurs the line between a car and a toy, it's built on a carbon fiber architecture and features a long list of carbon fiber parts including the grille bezel and the dashboard. Bugatti removed the regular Baby II's side-mounted spare wheel to keep weight in check, and it gave the car a heritage-laced yellow and black livery reminiscent of the Mistral, though other liveries are available.  The four-spoke, quick-release steering wheel is mounted on the right side of the dashboard but calling the Baby II right-hand-drive wouldn't be accurate. The seat is too small for two full-size adults to sit on and the pedals (which are adjustable and machined from solid aluminum) are located on the left side of the footwell. The fuel pump handle fitted to the original Type 35 now lets the driver select drive, neutral, or reverse, and vintage-looking gauges add a finishing touch to the look. The fuel pressure gauge was notably redesigned as a battery gauge. Bugatti hasn't released technical details. For context, the regular Baby II is powered by an electric motor that unlocks a 42-mph top speed. Pricing for the Bugatti Baby II Carbon Edition starts at ˆ80,000 (about $84,600 at the current conversion rate) excluding taxes and shipping. That's a bargain for a Bugatti, even a tiny one, but there's a catch: Autoblog learned that only Mistral customers are eligible to order the Carbon Edition. Production will consequently be limited by how many Mistral buyers put down a deposit, so up to 99 units could be built. Related video: Featured Gallery Bugatti Baby II Carbon Edition Bugatti Convertible

Volkswagen posts quarterly profit despite drop in sales

Volkswagen returned to profit in the third quarter as surging Chinese demand for luxury cars helped offset a 1.1% drop in vehicle deliveries due to the pandemic, sending its shares as much as 3% higher on Thursday. The German automaker's return to the black comes amid spiking coronavirus cases in Europe that led governments in France and Germany to order their countries back into strict national lockdowns on Wednesday. "The coronavirus remains a central problem," Volkswagen Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter said in a conference call with reporters. "This situation now is anything but relaxed." But Witter said the group expected the economic recovery to continue and did "not anticipate any nationwide lockdowns in larger markets." Witter said the takeover of U.S. truck maker Navistar International by Volkswagen's trucking unit Traton was an important acquisition, but the "current economic climate will not make this easy." Volkswagen reiterated it expects to post a profit for the full year, saying its business "recovered noticeably" in the third quarter as sales in China of premium vehicles, including Audi and Porsche sports cars, rose 3%. The quarterly performance was also aided by a series of cost-cutting measures launched earlier this year. Volkswagen said its net liquidity rose to 24.8 billion euros from 18.7 billion at the end of the second quarter. Excluding one-time items, third-quarter operating profit was 3.2 billion euros ($3.8 billion), down from 4.8 billion euros a year earlier, but up from a second quarter loss of 1.7 billion. In a note to clients, Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois described the results as a "solid performance with strong cash, but relatively muted in the context of the (auto) sector recovery." Last week, German rival Daimler reported a record 24% jump in Chinese demand for its Mercedes-Benz cars, boosting its margins in the third quarter. Italian-American Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot manufacturer PSA Group both also posted solid results this week. Witter said Volkswagen could not say for sure whether it would meet EU CO2 emissions targets this year, adding "it will be a tough race." At 1030 GMT, Volkswagen shares were up 2.9% at 129.20 euros. Related Video: Earnings/Financials Audi Bentley Bugatti Lamborghini Porsche Volkswagen

Watch Top Gear host Chris Harris sample the Bugatti Chiron's unbelievable acceleration

Update: The original video and tweet have been removed from Twitter. Yes, yes, we all know how fast the new 1,500 horsepower Bugatti Chiron is. It'll do 0-60 mph in under 2.5 seconds, 0-100 mph in just 6.5, and the top speed is 261 mph (limited). As Top Gear host Chris Harris shows here, stats and figures don't really do the car justice. The Instagram clip from the "onlychirons" account shows Harris repeatedly accelerating to triple digit speeds followed by full panic stops. The sheer glee on his face really says it all. As many enthusiasts know, Harris is no stranger to high-performance machines. He's one of the few people in the world to drive the so-called holy trinity of supercars: the Ferrari LaFerrari, the Porsche 918, and the McLaren P1. The clip here was apparently taken during the filming for the latest series of Top Gear. Look for Harris and the Chiron on an new episode in the next few weeks. Related Video: TV/Movies Bugatti Videos Top Gear chris harris Bugatti Chiron