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Meet the 4–005 Prototype, the Most Battered and Bruised Chiron You’ll Ever See

Scratches, paint chips, or adhesive strips are not what you would expect to see on a Bugatti. However, this is no ordinary Chiron, but a prototype that was instrumental in the development of the ultra-luxurious hypercar.
Bugatti Chiron 4–005 Protortype 10 photos
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
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Every Bugatti embodies hair-raising performance, exquisite design, and impeccable craftsmanship. That’s why these vehicles are so expensive yet extremely sought-after. Last year, five of the most expensive cars sold at auctions worldwide were all built by the Molsheim-based luxury carmaker.

Although those were all classic models, the present-day Chiron is just as desirable. Revealed in 2016 as the successor of the Veyron, this 1,479-hp beast dressed in a tuxedo is an exceptional piece of contemporary automotive art that everyone wants but few can afford.

It’s one of the few car designs out there that nobody can complain about since it blends elegance and aggressiveness in a flawless package. But behind the gorgeous production versions that end up in the mind-blowing collections of a chosen few, there are countless hours of development.

Bugatti Chiron 4–005 Protortype
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
To reach that renowned level of perfection, Bugatti builds several prototypes that go through a series of challenging tests. It is where we meet the 4-005, an early version of the Chiron that was driven hard for more than 46,000 miles (74,000 km) across several continents, in the most unforgiving conditions you can imagine.

The fifth of eight prototypes built in 2013, this car served as a test lab on wheels for the company’s Electrics and Electronics department. To develop, analyze, and fine-tune features that are usually taken for granted, engineers didn’t just simulate several environments and conditions but actually took to the roads, sometimes driving constantly for more than 10 hours.

Years before the Chiron was officially unveiled, the 4-005 was fitted with a tarpaulin cover to protect it from the paparazzi and traveled to the U.S., Canada, or South Africa. It eventually came back to Europe, where it covered nearly half of the continent, on highways, country roads, and even icy pathways over frozen Scandinavian lakes.

Bugatti Chiron 4–005 Protortype
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
In the U.S., it reached the Death Valley, where it was pushed to the limits to see how the air conditioning and several other electrical components behave under extreme heat. Then, experts drove the camouflaged Chiron to the Grand Canyon to check its satellite, aerial, radio, and phone reception and how they behave without a signal. These particular tests were subsequently repeated in every country because, after all, the aforementioned features needed to work perfectly everywhere.

The test car was even subjected to the afterburner of a Eurofighter Typhoon military jet to see how it handles heat. On the opposite side of the extreme temperature spectrum, it was extensively tested in the freezing wilderness of Northern Europe.

Bugatti Chiron 4–005 Protortype
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
One of the numerous parts of the Chiron that we find amazing is its minimalistic yet high-tech cabin. The virtual interface and every physical button inside the hypercar were all initially developed using the 4-005.

Even though it now seems like a beat-up piece of work equipment filled with inaesthetic wiring and testing tools, this prototype took one for the team and had a major contribution to the final production version.

After years of hardcore duty, it has been retired. Still, since its role in the development process of the Chiron was so influential, Bugatti decided against scrapping it, as is usually the case with development prototypes. The company will preserve it as a showpiece in the Molsheim factory.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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