The One-of-One, Almost 1,500 HP Profilée Is Bugatti's Ultimate Chiron

The Bugatti Chiron was unveiled to the world in March 2016 as a successor to the innovative Veyron, and it set new standards for performance and usability in the hyper sports car world. Both vehicles share Bugatti's 8.0-liter W16 engine, although the Chiron was equipped with a re-engineered version featuring four larger two-stage turbochargers that boosted power up to 1,600 ps (1,177 kW or 1,578 hp).

Only 500 Chiron units were scheduled for production, but even before the vehicle left its birthplace, the Molsheim atelier, 200 units were already sold. Even though the standard Chiron was a technical marvel, Bugatti engineers wanted to develop the machine even further, so they created faster and more agile variants.

One of these derivatives is the powerful Chiron Pur Sport, which boasts a 1.9-meter-wide (6.2 feet) wing and shorter gear ratios, as well as a 10% improvement to its lateral acceleration - these modifications allowed the car to reach a spectacular top speed of 350 kph (217 mph).

Then, there's the Chiron Supersport, another upgrade to the standard model – the gran turismo featured 1,600 ps and a limited top speed of 440 kph (273 mph). Back in 2019, it helped Andy Wallace, a Bugatti driver, achieve a world record that stands to this day while behind the wheel of a near-production Chiron Super Sport 300+ prototype, reaching a whopping speed of 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h).

During the Chiron's production, the brand's customers expressed an interest in a vehicle that was "less radical" than the Chiron Pur Sport, one that still benefitted from the remarkable performance, only boasting more of a touring personality. Bugatti, eager to satisfy its customers, started building this new version of the Chiron, one that blended the original model's elegant aesthetics with the Pur Sport's capabilities. And that's how the Chiron Profilée was born.

However, the story of the Profilée would rapidly take an unexpected turn. While it was still in development, the limited allocation of the standard Chiron had been reached. Then, the Molsheim marque made quite an unusual move – it completed the pre-series car, in spite of knowing that the rest of the units would never be produced. The outcome is one Profilée with single-type approval for Europe.

Let me tell you more about this unique machine – although, to the untrained eye, it might look like any other Chiron, it features distinctive elements. Its exterior color, "Argent Atlantique" (translates to Atlantic Silver from French), was exclusively created for the Profilée. The lower part of the vehicle's body is tinted in Bleu Royal Carbon, which perfectly complements the paintwork and the carbon fiber structure.

A horizontal splitter optically divides the body into two parts, making the car look lower than it is and providing extra downforce. It sits on alloy wheels with horseshoe form, which has also been specially designed, manufactured, and tested for this one-of-one Bugatti. They feature "Le Patron" paint with polished aluminum accents to match the lower body's carbon tint.

An element that stands out is the sweeping tail, which offers advanced thermodynamic air flow management and increased downforce over the rear axle. It also features a millimeter-perfect hollow section that allows hot air to escape easily. Other notable details are wider air inlets and a larger "horseshoe" grille. Although the difference might not seem that significant cosmetically, these elements combined give the Profilée an extra edge over other Chiron versions, maximizing the power of the W16 engine.

Besides these modifications, the Chiron Profilée was gifted with brand-new steering and suspension setting for more responsive handling. Besides boasting a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with shorter ratios, the engine's rev limit was increased by 200 rpm to 6,900 rpm, as the top speed was electronically limited to 380 kph (236 mph). The Profilée can reach 100 kph (62 mph) in only 2.3 seconds, 200 kph (122 mph) in 5.5 seconds, and 300 kph (186 mph) in a mere 12.4 seconds.

The Profilée's color scheme continues in its interior. For the first time in any Chiron model, this example boasts a woven leather finish across the dashboard, center console, door panels, and rear wall inlay. This meticulous process required precisely 2,665 meters (8,743 feet) of leather strips - just imagine how long the installation took.

The Comfort seats are finished in Gris Rafale and Deep Blue leather and come with the quilting pattern Bugatti named "air parade." Other elements are similar to what you'd find on other Chiron models, such as the instrument cluster made of three compact displays with an analog speedometer in the middle. The steering wheel is upholstered in deep blue leather and features the longer gear shift paddles you can find on the Pur Sport, as well as two red buttons in the middle. The one on the right is for the engine, while the left is used to cycle between the "EB," "Autobahn," "Handling," and "Lift" drive modes.

Bugatti's exclusive vehicle is now listed for sale and will be auctioned by RM Sotheby's on February 1. As you can see in the gallery, the striking hypercar has only driven 396 km (246 miles) during testing at the factory. The Chiron Profilée is the only one of its kind, and other examples will never be built. Moreover, this is the last chance for enthusiasts to get their hands on a W16-powered Bugatti - other models that come equipped with the same engine, such as the Mistral and Bolide, have already been reserved by future owners. Its exclusiveness is reflected in its price - the listing recommends a price ranging from €4.2M to €5.5M ($4.55M to $6M). It will probably be the most expensive vehicle sold in this round of auctioning.

It's safe to say that the cost won't be an issue for its future owner – they will be more excited to acquire a part of Bugatti's history. Furthermore, it would be nice to see the vehicle in action. Still, given that it's the only example available, you can imagine the pressure of getting behind the wheel and driving it to the limit, as nobody would like to damage this unique vehicle. So, given the circumstances, it'll probably end up in a private collection, and its value will only increase over time.