Back in September we reported how Bugatti had decided to have a baby, a ‘baby Bugatti’ — a nod to the original working model that it produced way back in 1920s.
Priced from $50,000, it was a dream come true, a collector’s nest egg and chance to own a real Bugatti at a relatively affordable price.
The only problem — all 500 of the cars had already been sold.
Well, thanks to the current pandemic and the financial impact it is having, some of the prospective buyers have pulled out and that’s good news if you had your heart set on one of these cars.
Bugatti is not saying how many, but reveals a very few build slots have become available and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Developed in partnership with The Little Car Company, the Baby II has been described by those who’ve driven the car as ‘more of an unruly teenager than a Baby’.
The original Bugatti Baby was born in 1926 when Ettore and son Jean decided to build a scaled-down Type 35 for Ettore’s youngest son, Roland, for his fourth birthday.
It was intended as a one-off, but feedback from customers visiting Molsheim was so positive that the Baby went into production and was sold between 1927 and 1936.
The tiny Bugatti went into production, and was sold between 1927 and 1936.
The tiny Bugatti went into production, and was sold between 1927 and 1936.
The tiny Bugatti went into production, and was sold between 1927 and 1936.
Cherished by Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide, no collection is complete without one.
While the original Bugatti Baby was a 50 per cent scale version of the car that brought Automobiles Ettore Bugatti to fame in the 1920s, the Bugatti Baby II offers more in terms of both size and performance.
Eight year olds would struggle to fit in the original scale model, but this one is a larger 75 per cent scale and designed for ages 14 and above.
Bugatti Baby II is available in three versions:
- Base model with a composite body and a 1.4kWh battery pack
- Vitesse model with a carbon fibre body, 2.8kWh battery pack and an upgraded powertrain including a Speed Key like it’s big brother, the Chiron.
- Pur Sang model, targeted at collectors. The Pur Sang offers the same powertrain as the Vitesse but with beautiful, hand-formed aluminium bodywork. Using the same traditional coach building techniques as the original Bugatti Type 35, each aluminium body takes more than two hundred hours of skilled craftsmanship to create.
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The Baby II’s performance has grown, too.
Still rear wheel drive, all versions of the Baby II are equipped with a limited slip differential, high performance hydraulic brakes and driver selectable modes.
The Base model comes with two modes; Novice which is limited to 20km/h and 1kW of power, and Expert which is limited to 45 km/h and 4kW.
Vitesse and Pur Sang versions include Novice and Expert driving modes, but also offer extra performance from an upgraded powertrain, unlocked by the legendary Bugatti Speed Key.
This enables you to deploy up to 10kW and, with an all up weight of just 230kg, the Vitesse and Pur Sang models will spin their rear wheels on the way to a 70 km/h top speed.
Depending on the weight of the driver, 0-60 km/h takes just six seconds.
When it comes to range, the lithium ion battery packs combined with regenerative braking will also surprise clients.
When driven carefully, the Base model can achieve 25km of range on a single charge.
The larger battery pack in the Vitesse and Pur Sang models doubles that figure, meaning a driver can achieve more than 50km.
The replaceable battery packs can also be swapped out in a matter of seconds.
When it comes to handling, Baby II is completely true to its mythical predecessor — the Bugatti Type 35.
Based on a digital 3D scan of an original Lyon GP car with identical geometry and suspension, handling is as authentic as an enthusiast could hope for.
The only nod to modernity is the introduction of adjustable dampers, allowing clients to tailor the handling in ways not possible in the Type 35’s heyday.
Bugatti Test Pilot, Andy Wallace, was even involved in the final development of the tuning and setup of the Baby II.
“When you first sit in the car and look at each tiny detail, it reminds me in some ways of the first few months with the Chiron.
You get the same feeling walking around the car, as everywhere you look there are beautifully engineered solutions and design details that really are quite amazing“ says Andy Wallace, Bugatti test driver and Le Mans winner.
“It would be easy to create something like this with a quarter of the quality, but that’s what’s so brilliant about this car: it’s absolutely top-of-the-line, a work of art on wheels.“
“In its most powerful mode, when you have the ‘Speed Key’ inserted, the Baby II is a very fast car.
It’s quite impressive and brilliantly fun.
You get a lovely feel of balance, it handles just like the original Type 35 and the regenerative braking is a very cool touch.
It’s truly an authentic Bugatti, there are no questions about that.”
Other features which will appeal to enthusiasts include faithful working replicas of the original Type 35’s instruments, with some adaption for modernity.
With the Base model starting at $50,000, the Vitesse at $70,000, and the collectable Pur Sangtopping the range at $95,000 there is sure to be a Bugatti Baby II for both enthusiasts and collectors alike.
If you would like more information on the limited edition Baby II, or would like to apply for any empty build slots — please visit www.bugattibaby.com.
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