Curtains up for the Bugatti Divo at The Quail – a modern interpretation of Bugatti’s coachbuilding tradition

 

The good and beautiful automotive news is that Bugatti unveiled its latest Divo model in California. But the strictly limited small series of 40 vehicles is already sold out.

At the exclusive automotive event “The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering“ in Monterey, California, Bugatti has presented its latest model as a world premiere. Divo is powered by Bugatti’s iconic eight-litre W16 engine with a power output of 1,500 PS. Upon the start of presentations to selected customers, the strictly limited small series, with a net unit price of €5 million, sold out immediately.

“When I took up my position at Bugatti at the beginning of the year, I soon learnt that our customers and fans were waiting for a special vehicle which would tell a further story for the brand in addition to the Chiron,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “The Bugatti team was also very eager to implement a project like this.”

It was therefore decided to build a super sports car with a different character from the Chiron which would still be immediately recognizable as a Bugatti.

With the Divo, Bugatti is also reviving its coachbuilding tradition. In its first few decades, the French luxury brand had considerable success with bodies built to its own design and installed on existing chassis.

“The feedback from our customers was overwhelming,” the Bugatti President reports. “We showed the Divo to a small group of selected Chiron customers. All 40 cars were sold immediately – this was fantastic confirmation for the Bugatti team which had put so much dedication and passion into the project.”

“The Divo is a further project intended to thrill people and the world,” Winkelmann adds. “Our fans are very important to us.”

The supercar is named after Albert Divo, a French racing driver who was a two-time winner of the famous Targa Florio race on the mountainous roads of Sicily with Bugatti in the late 1920s.

The newly-designed, wide front spoiler provides higher downforce and guides more air to the front air inlets. The cooling system therefore receives a higher mass flow and overall cooling performance is improved.

The main objective of chassis development work was to improve cornering dynamics; the Divo was to be sharper, more agile and more nimble. For this purpose, the camber was increased. As a result the maximum speed of the Divo is limited to 380 km/h. In contrast to the Chiron, there is therefore no Top Speed mode. As regards lateral acceleration, the Divo reaches 1.6 g. These changes alone ensure a perceptibly different
driving experience on winding roads.

The two-tone colour scheme also intensifies the forceful impression created by the rear. The fenders are painted in “Titanium Liquid Silver” with a matt finish and are optically distinguished from the parts which control airflow at the rear end. Air outlets, rear spoiler and diffuser have a carbon finish.

“Divo Racing Blue”, a bright turquoise blue shade developed especially for the Divo, underlines the three-dimensional character of the three surfaces leading to the air inlets and outlets on the front, sides and rear, creating dynamically contrasting effects.

Another stylistic link between interior and exterior is created by the door trims and seat areas, which feature an embroidered three-dimensional rhomboid structure with an algorithmic configuration, reinterpreting the structure of the grille and rear lights.

Technical innovations in the interior include the seats, which not only feature a new design but offer greater lateral support. The steering wheel is partly covered with Alcantara and has larger paddles fitted firmly on both sides of the wheel. Thanks to larger armrests and calf supports, the central console ensures greater comfort.