Key Takeaways

• Bugatti unveils last Chiron Super Sport, L’Ultime, recalling original Geneva show car aesthetics.
• L’Ultime features historical milestones and symbols in a tribute to Chiron’s legacy.
• Transition from Chiron production to Bolide and W16 Mistral models marks the end of Bugatti’s W16 chapter.

The end of an era is upon us as Bugatti reveals the very last Chiron Super Sport ever to be made: L’Ultime. The first Chiron that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016 was finished in a mix of Atlantic Blue and French Racing Blue, and it is this original aesthetic that Molsheim’s artists in the Sur Mesure department have reimagined for the 500th and final Chiron.

Unlike the Geneva show car, which had its colors split by the brand’s trademark C-line, L’Ultime blends the two colors together and appears with mismatched wheel finishes. This final example also features a Bugatti macaron badge in blue rather than the traditional red, and the bodywork is adorned with “handwritten places and events that helped to build the legend of the Chiron,” says Bugatti.

A Display Of Craftsmanship

Some of the milestones memorialized on the car include its debut in Geneva, testing sessions at the famous Circuit Paul Ricard, and the 300-mph run at the Ehra-Lessien test track in 2019. Noteworthy places include Bugatti’s home in Molsheim, the Château Saint Jean, and Cape Canaveral in Florida, where many owners have safely explored the speed of their hypercars. The car also reminds onlookers of its significance as the last-ever Chiron, with several ‘500’ motifs applied across the vehicle in places like the rear wing, the wheel center caps, and the engine cover.

The French flag appears on the wing mirrors, and the exterior upgrades are completed by an Atlantic Blue grille with a unique mesh design within the horseshoe shape. Inside, the cabin is finished in Deep Blue leather with Blue Carbon Matte trim elements and French Racing Blue accents. As you’d expect for a car as special as this, the leather is cut, stitched, and applied by hand.

“With this bespoke work of art, we have retraced the Chiron’s majestic eight-year journey with unforgettable moments that have taken place throughout the world, creating legions of fans for the Chiron, not to mention its countless industry-first breakthroughs and unique world-first achievements. This 500th and final Chiron model is a fitting farewell that captures a defining legacy that will forever be etched in automotive history and paves the way to a bright new chapter, stating with the production of the Bolide and the W16 Mistral and continuing with the unveiling of our new model in June.”

– Christophe Piochon, Bugatti Automobiles President.

The Next Chapter

As mentioned by the big boss at Bugatti, this is a time of change for the luxury marque. Its first-ever track-only hypercar, the Bugatti Bolide, is rapidly approaching production and has already concluded testing, and the W16 Mistral roadster will soon enter production now that the Chiron’s production run has come to an end. While work will continue with these in the background, Bugatti’s next big moment in the limelight arrives next month, when the V16-powered Chiron replacement debuts with its naturally aspirated hybridized powertrain.

While we’re excited about this new powerplant, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on everything that made the W16 so special. Despite being capable of well over 1,500 horsepower, the 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine was as smooth and refined as a Maybach when cruising, and when pushing well past 250 mph, the Chiron was always so quiet and stable that it made other hypercars feel under-engineered. As a new era of hypercar elitism is increasingly fueled by experiences, we have no doubt that the V16 engine will be just like the W16 at its core: ferocious but fabulous.