Liquidity is top priority for conglomerate at the moment.
At just under $3 million, the Bugatti Chiron is one of the most expensive new cars money can buy. The exorbitant price tag means it’s relatively a tough sell, with the Molsheim hypercar still available in fewer than 100 examples more than four years since its premiere. The company has produced over 250 cars and received payments from customers for an additional 150, out of a total production run of 500 vehicles.
The topic of a more affordable Bugatti has been making the headlines in the past few months, but it looks like it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Parent company Volkswagen Group has decided to prioritize liquidity to face these challenging times caused by the coronavirus pandemic. A decision regarding a “cheaper” Bugatti has been put on the backburner, with company president Stephan Winkelmann telling Automotive News Europe:
"For the time being, we need to put this issue aside. Given the prevailing economic conditions, our utmost priority is on liquidity.” Winkelmann went on to express his concern about the ultra-rich not being so keen on spending hundreds of thousands of dollars given the difficult times in the light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Based on the initial analysis made by Bugatti, a second model is expected to be a more practical grand tourer with two usable rear seats and an electric powertrain. It’s said to sit higher for better ground clearance, but the French marque has stopped short of calling it an SUV in the same vein as Ferrari refuses to describe the Pursoangue as being a sports utility vehicle.
If a second Bugatti model will get the stamp of approval, the VW Group would have to heavily invest in the company to boost production from fewer than 100 cars annually to as many as 900 units. In regards to the price tag, it could cost anywhere from €500,000 to €1 million, which works out to about $578,500 to $1.15M at current exchange rates.
See more at: Motor1.com
