The One-of-One Profilee: The 501st Chiron Is Your Last Chance To Get a W16-Powered Bugatti

At that time, Bugatti announced that there will only be 500 Chiron units ever produced, thus including all the several variations of the model, such as the Sport, Pur Sport, o Super Sport iterations that arose since then. In the meantime, the company even created special editions like the Chiron Sport 110 Ans Bugatti, the Chiron Noire, or the Sport Les Légendes du Ciel.

The latest addition to the lineup comes in the form of the final unit, actually numbered 501, a completely bespoke creation named Chiron Profillee, presented as "a less radical interpretation of the Pur Sport". Even more, it comes as a one-and-only opportunity for collectors to purchase a brand-new Chiron example directly from Bugatti, as all the other slots in the production line have already been taken for quite some time.

The work on the Chiron Profilee began in the fall of 2020 after freeheartedly assessing consumer requests to explore a less extreme version of the almighty Pur Sport. Unfortunately, by the time the pre-series car had any chance to enter production, the limited-to-500 slots were already filled by future customers. Fortunately, the company decided not to halt the vehicle's development, as it was "too beautiful to be hidden away," so they aboded it will be a one-off endeavor.

Presented with such a case, manufacturers seldom invest the time and resources necessary to bring a vehicle to full production spec when it is certain that there will never be another one. However, the Profilee underwent thorough testing, meeting all of Bugatti's heightened standards, also obtaining all the legal approvals necessary to be driven on the European continent.

On the outside, the Chiron Profilee had its massive rear wing replaced with a far more subtle aerodynamic tail that sweeps backward and serves two critical purposes. Firstly, its beautiful design also allows for increased downforce over the rear axle, maintaining vehicle stability and control up to the Profilée's top speed of 236 mph (380 km/h). At the same time, taking advantage of the negative pressures generated in the process, the hot air produced by the massive W16 engine gets spontaneously drawn through two interior tunnels situated inside the high-temperature carbon wing.

The front view of the one-of-a-kind Bugatti Profilee is dominated by even more extensive air inlets and an augmented Bugatti horseshoe grille, all in an effort to bring more cool air into the radiators. To further boost downforce and maximize airflow, a new front splitter works in unison with the carefully contoured underbody. This helps master the airflow for increased cooling effects, reducing drag and producing the much-needed downforce, so paramount to providing the exceptional performance that contemporary Bugatti automobiles accustomed their clients to.

The company also chose a one-off color for the Chiron Profilee. The car has been presented in a unique Argent Atlantique primary paint specially created for this vehicle, which has never been assigned to any other Chiron model before. Moreover, the exposed carbon fiber that covers the bottom portion of the vehicle comes finished in Bugatti's signature Bleu Royal Carbon hue. Besides, the wheels are also a one-of-a-kind undertaking, as they were expressly devised, made, and tested for the Profilee. The set gets painted in a specific shade of Le Patron, which perfectly matches the carbon shade of the bottom half of the vehicle's body.

The Pur Sport's character of supreme lateral grip and instant acceleration gets preserved in the Profilee, albeit with few alterations. Although the gearbox ratios have been shortened by 15 percent, at the heart of the machine remained the same 1,500 PS (1,479 hp) iteration of Bugatti's infamous W16 engine. It enables the Profilee to reach 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill in just 2.3 seconds, while 124 mph (200 kph) can be obtained in a dazzling timespan of only 5.5 seconds. Even more, compared to the Chiron Pur Sport, the Profilee benefits from an increased limited top speed from 217 mph (350 kph) to 236 mph (380 kph).

The chassis underwent extensive tuning in the magical hands of Bugatti engineers, benefiting from hardened springs granting a more front-heavy balance and further adjustments to the camber angles. By comparison to the Chiron Sport, the springs gain 10% more stiffness, and the rear axle bears 50% greater negative camber, improving cornering grip without any sacrifices to occupants' comfort.

Speaking of comfort, the inside living space of the Chiron Profilee is familiar with other vehicles from the family, hand-finished at Bugatti's Molsheim Atelier. Each component is laboriously hand-crafted using genuine and best-in-class quality materials such as fine leather, carbon fiber, and solid metal alloys, adhering to the established minimalist and timeless design language.

Particularly, the one-and-only Profilee benefits from a dashboard, door panels, and center console covered in woven leather, never used on any other Chiron model before. This intricate and exquisite interior finish comprises more than 2,500 meters of leather strips. Also, the vehicle comes fitted with a set of comfortable leather seats finished off in a beautiful Gris Rafale and Deep Blue color scheme, also featuring an "air parade" quilting design.

On February 1st, RM Sotheby's will hold an auction for the Bugatti Chiron Profilee, with a portion of the earnings going to philanthropic causes. This being the case, we fully expect the price of this one-of-a-kind engineering masterpiece to get well into the seven-digit territory. Not least, interested buyers should also consider that the Profilee is essentially the final opportunity to purchase a new vehicle from Bugatti powered solely by the outgoing W16 engine, as the Mistral and Bolide have already been attributed to their future customers.