Just over eight years after the Bugatti Chiron was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, the 500th and final has rolled off the assembly line. As with its Veyron predecessor, the last Chiron to be built is an incredibly special one-off spec. Based on the Chiron Super Sport model, it’s fittingly called L’Ultime, and it pays tribute to the car’s development and Bugatti’s history.
The Chiron that was presented in Geneva had a two-tone paint scheme of Atlantic Blue and French Racing Blue, and L’Ultime uses the same combo but in a way Bugatti has never done before. The front end starts out in the darker Atlantic color and seamlessly fades into the bright French Racing Blue hue in the center of the car. Bugatti says the effect was “inspired by the philosophy of ‘bullet speed’ – a blurring of vision at high speeds,” fitting for the fastest production car in the world.
Bugatti’s signature C-line in French Racing Blue gives some good contrast, and I love that the front and rear wheels are different colors, with each having accents of the opposite color on the lip and hub cover. The U’ltime is the first time Bugatti has painted its macaron emblem blue, and the grille has a color-matched blue surround and a new mesh pattern with centered stripes. Other special details include the French flag on the mirror caps, the number 500 engraved in the polished aluminum engine cover, and the 500 script in contrasting blue on the underside of the rear wing.
The centerpiece of the L’Ultime are the handwritten names that adorn the sides, created with the same innovative artistry as the Golden Era Chiron from last year. Bugatti says the L’Ultime’s owner wanted to create an homage to Bugatti and the Chiron by celebrating specific moments from the model and marque’s history. It’s a pretty funny mix of places — you’ve got Scottsdale and St. Louis next to Monaco and Goodwood, for instance — and it doesn’t seem like the names are presented in a specific order, instead just what would look the best:
This captivating legacy flows across the sides of the unique Super Sport in pure content composition: the launch in Geneva, appearances at Chantilly, testing phases at the Paul Ricard circuit and the 300 mph run at the Ehra-Lessien testing track. And, of course, the historic Bugatti home in Molsheim as well as the iconic Château Saint Jean and Cape Canaveral, where a number of customers have experienced the Chiron’s top speed performance.
The color scheme continues on the inside, where Deep Blue leather is paired with matte blue carbon-fiber trim that has unique tinges of French Racing Blue. I love the seat stitching, which has the colors of the French flag in a cool cross-hatched pattern, and the door panels that have woven leather inserts that were hand-cut and hand-stitched. Of course, the number 500 is placed in the center console trim and stitched in the headrests, and the L’Ultime name is embroidered in the center console knee pads and written in the door sills.
Bugatti says the successor to the Chiron will be unveiled this June, though we don’t yet know exactly when. So far, we know it will use a naturally aspirated V16 engine with a hybrid setup that was developed in conjunction with Cosworth, potentially making more than 1,800 horsepower. I can’t wait.
