Bugatti made history Wednesday when its one-of-one Chiron Profilée sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction for the record-breaking amount of €9,792,500 ($10,767,441). This ground-breaking sale sets a new record for the highest amount ever paid for a brand-new car at auction.
The Profilée trim is completely unique. The model is a one-off, which is likely what led to it nearly doubling pre-auction estimates of up to €5.5 million ($6.05 million USD).
The auction of the Chiron Profilée, originally a special development model that was never intended to be sold, represented the last possible opportunity to buy a new Bugatti powered by the legendary W16 engine directly from the Atelier in Molsheim, France. With such an important piece of Bugatti history at stake, bidding was fierce both in the room and on the phones.
The previous record for a new car sold at auction had been a Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, an open-topped hybrid supercar that sold for €8.3 million — about $9 million at today’s exchange rates — in 2017, at another RM Sotheby’s. The proceeds of that sale went to charity, though, a factor that tends to result in much higher sale prices.
Hendrik Malinowski, Managing Director of Bugatti Automobiles, said: “With just one Chiron Profilée ever set to exist, it was important for us to offer the opportunity to acquire this piece of history to as many people as possible and we were excited with the enthusiasm of the global automotive community for this very special car. Bidders clearly recognized the importance and value of the Chiron Profilée, with an intense rivalry and a price that places this car firmly into the history books.”
The name ‘Profilée’ draws inspiration from one of Jean Bugatti’s first creations – a specific Type 46 model known as Surprofilée, with a sleeker silhouette and an elegant sweeping tail. Just as that car remains an important part of Bugatti history, the Chiron Profilée has now written in its own chapter in the 114-year-old heritage of Bugatti.
Like the Chiron Pur Sport, the Chiron Profilée uses the powerful 1,500 PS development of the quad-turbo 8.0-liter but the automotive solitaire is absolutely unique in its design and its details. The sweeping fixed rear wing directly integrated to the body of the car both provides stability at high speed and crucial cooling for the W16 engine. The Profilée is also the first Chiron sold fitted with a woven leather finish in the interior and its exterior color named Argent Atlantique is absolutely unique and has never – and will never be – applied on any other Chiron model. The horseshoe-style wheels inspired by the Bugatti famous horseshoe grille as well are designed and engineered only for this specific car and represent other details which can only be found on the Profilée.
Photos courtesy of Bugatti
