This Chiron wasn’t a garage queen.
Although the Bugatti Chiron was introduced in 2016, Chiron 4-005, the first prototype of Chiron, had already traveled the globe. It is one of eight prototype Chirons made by Bugatti. These were designed to shake off all bugs and fine-tune the car’s potential to become the fastest, most exotic, and fastest in the world.
We usually associate prototypes with preproduction development. But this one continued to work after the veil was lifted. Chiron 4-005 (4 being the prototype and 005 being the chronological number) was designed to handle software development. This can include infotainment systems and powertrain functions as well as greeting passengers and drivers upon their entry.
four-five was the first Chiron to travel across the United States. It was also able to do high-speed laps at Nardo and endured heat tests in South Africa. While many Chirons might not travel more than 1,000 miles over their lifetime, this one has travelled almost 50,000. Bugatti won’t go into detail about the adventure.
We do gain a better understanding of vehicle development because it does not stop once production cars have been on the road. There were four to five cases where software updates and system modifications required validation. Navigation maps from all over the globe must be tested in actual locations. Sound system upgrades may sound differently in mountains than at sea level. Bugatti’s engineers and drivers always feel refreshed after hitting the road to dial in these things.
The prototype vehicle 4-005 has been retired from service. What does this mean? Automakers usually destroy prototypes because they can become a legal nightmare if they make it into the public domain. Bugatti isn’t a common manufacturer and the Chiron definitely isn’t a normal car. However, four-five’s fate remains a mystery. Bugatti stated that the car was “going into its well earned retirement”, so we can only hope it will be seen again.