French luxury carmaker Buggati has set a new record by selling its last purely gas-powered supercar at a Paris auction for more than $10 million, which is approximately Rs 88 crore. The one-of-a-kind Buggati Chiron Profilee was sold at RM Paris collector car auction on Wednesday for a bid of $9.5 but with fees paid to the auction house, the final selling price was about $10.7 million, CNN reported.
The bidding for the last W16-powered Bugatti hypercar went so high because it is unique and, in cases like this, collectors "bid knowing they won't get a second chance," said John Wiley, manager of valuation and analytics at Hagerty, as per the outlet.
The supercar can go from zero to 100 kilometres an hour, or 62 miles per hour in just 2.3 seconds. It is the fastest-accelerating Chiron model and is capable of up 200 kph, or 124 mph, in 5.5 seconds.
"With just one Chiron Profilee ever set to exist, it was important for us to offer the opportunity to acquire this piece of history to as many people as possible," explained Hendrik Malinowski, Managing Director of Bugatti Automobiles. "Bidders clearly recognized the importance and value of the Chiron Profilée, with an intense rivalry and a price that places this car firmly into the history books," he added.
The Bugatti Chiron Profilee was being developed, starting in late 2020, as one of several versions of the Chiron, Buggati's primary model. The supercar has a larger grille and wider front air intake than the base Chiron to take in more air to cool the big engine. According to CNN, the transmission of Profilee was also revised for shorter gear ratios to provide quicker acceleration and the engine is allowed to run up to higher speeds.
Also Read | US Man Wanted To Go To Sydney In Australia, Ended Up In Sidney In Montana
The Profilee is the fastest-accelerating Chiron model, according to Bugatti. It also has a higher top speed than the Chiron Pur Sport, but still not as high as some other Bugatti models that can reach 300 miles an hour.
"The name 'Profilee' draws inspiration from one of Jean Bugatti's first creations - a specific Type 46 model known as Surprofilee, with a sleeker silhouette and an elegant sweeping tail. Just as that car remains an important part of Bugatti history, the Chiron Profilee has now written in its own chapter in the 114-year-old heritage of Bugatti," the press note read.
