Automotive

Published on May 15th, 2021 | by Subhash Nair

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Bugatti Baby II Is An Electric Reimagining Of The Original

The first 500 Bugatti Baby II models have started to reach owners.

This isn’t a toy for children. This Bugatti Baby II is actually a little complicated. Here’s a summary of its history:

In 1924, Ettore Bugatti introduced the Type 35, a petrol-powered car that just kept winning races.

Ettore and his older son Jean decided to build a miniature version for Ettore’s other 4-year old son Roland.

Customers saw this mini-mobile and wanted one for themselves, so he made the Type 52 “Baby”, which was roughly half the size of the original Type 35 and ran on electric power. Only 500 were made and today only 150 survive.

The Bugatti Baby II is essentially a modernised version of the Type 52 “Baby”, made to celebrate the company’s 110th anniversary. They are being produced by The Little Car Company.

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The first 500 of these are now being delivered to their owners around the world. As these are bespoke cars, they’re each built a little different. There are three basic variants: Base, Vitesse and Pur Sang. These are all rear wheel driven electric vehicles with hand-formed aluminium bodywork.

In Novice mode, the speed is limited to 20km/h with just 1.3bhp. In expert mode, it can go up to 45km/h with 5.4bhp. On the Vitesse and Pur Sang models, these figures can be increased using a Speed Key. This gives you 13.4bhp and a top speed of 70km/h. Depending on the weight of the driver, 0-100km/h can take just 6s.

Here’s the press release with more.

PRESS RELEASE

The very first of 500 bespoke Baby II models have started to reach owners across the globe, sparking excitement with Bugatti collectors both old and new. This reimagined car has sparked international attention since its launch, with admirers noting its modern-day engineering couple with authentic nods to the original Type 35 on which it is based.

One of the first Bugatti Baby II vehicles has arrived with a long-time Bugatti owner in Dubai. This bespoke and highly personalized car has been delivered to an operator of a private jet terminal in the UAE. The carbon fiber ‘Vitesse’ version of the Baby II will be deployed for private transfers to VIP sections of the airport. Passengers passing through Al Maktoum International Airport may catch a glimpse of the visually striking Baby II – finished in a completely custom paint color – on their next visit.

Another has arrived with a private Bugatti collector in Belgium. This reimagined Bugatti Baby II has become a welcome addition to an already extensive Bugatti collection, complete with a Type 35 A, original Bugatti Baby and several other Pre War Bugatti’s. This collection proves how old and new can co-exist exquisitely side by side.

Bespoke customizations and unique options

Just like any road-going hyper sports car to leave the Bugatti Atelier in Molsheim, all of the cars made by The Little Car Company are completely individual, with customers able to make their own stamp on their Bugatti Baby II. The Carbon Fiber ‘Vitesse’-spec Baby II delivered to Dubai features a 2.8kWh battery pack and upgraded powertrain, while also including a Speed Key, just like the road-going Chiron1 hyper sports car.

Highly customized, the car is specified by the customer having worked with designers to create the color ‘Jetex Orange’, a vibrant hue that has been developed especially for this Baby II. This example is fitted with the Touring Pack; featuring a high-power LED headlight upgrade, brake light package, mudguard and fender package, plus upgraded wiring harness/loom.

Additional exterior options selected include a personalized number plate as well as custom reflective chrome logos on both the back of the car’s mirror and on the vehicle’s steering wheel, made using 3D high resolution stereolithography. This advanced 3D printing process has also been used in the creation of the car’s wheel nut covers (plus the carrying spare), which also feature individualized reflective chrome logos. Inside the vehicle, the premium leather seats have been finished in pearlized metallic alongside a pebbled grain. In addition, the customer has opted for a Transport Case, allowing the safe transport of the vehicle in a hand-built, Jetex branded orange case.

In contrast, and in a nod to the earlier Bugatti models, the hand-formed aluminum “Pur-Sang”-spec Baby II delivered to Belgium has been designed to match the color palette of the clients original Bugatti Type 35 by using the contemporary colors matched to the current Bugatti Chiron range. With ‘Nocturne Black’ exterior and interior leather in color ‘Terre D’or’, this Bugatti Baby II is a beautiful example of creatively blending modern designs with vehicles of the past.

Just like the original, each car is complete with an individual chassis number. This collector successfully bid on chassis 388 to match the original Bugatti Baby in their collection, raising money for a selection of automotive charities in the process.

Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said: “We are thrilled to that customers are taking delivery of these extraordinary little cars. The Bugatti Baby II is truly a contemporary tribute to Ettore Bugatti’s original masterpiece, and we are very proud to see these arrive with their owners. Each and every Bugatti Baby II has been lovingly hand built to the client’s exact specifications, so each vehicle leaving our workshop is genuinely one-of-a-kind. We can’t wait to see these vehicles cherished for years to come and hope to have inspired a new generation of young Bugatti enthusiasts.”

The full Bugatti experience

As an official Bugatti model, owners are now privy to a world that extends beyond just the driving experience. As Bugatti Baby II owner, customers receive automatic membership to the prestigious Bugatti Owner’s Club and The Little Car Club, which will allow owners to drive their Bugatti Baby II on renowned racetracks worldwide. In addition, all vehicles are supplied with a 12-month warranty and lifetime support from the Client Services Team, ensuring ultimate peace-of-mind.

As part of the full Bugatti experience, customers receive with their car a beautiful branded presentation box enclosing their owner’s manual and keys. Customers are also presented with an exclusive book detailing the story of the handcrafted Bugatti Baby II and how the vision of its creators became reality: ‘The Bugatti Baby II – A History’. This stunning, limited-edition book comprehensively details the origins of the vehicle, with areas of focus including its 1926 predecessor, the Bugatti Baby, as well as the distinguished background of Automobiles Ettore Bugatti and the Bugatti brand.

The Bugatti Baby II is available in three versions: Base, Vitesse and Pur Sang, targeted at collectors. The Pur Sang offers the same powertrain as the Vitesse but with beautiful, hand-formed aluminum bodywork. Using the same traditional coachbuilding techniques as the original Bugatti Type 35, each aluminum body takes more than two hundred hours of skilled craftsmanship to create.

The Baby II’s performance lives up to the Bugatti name. Offered exclusively in rear-wheel drive, all versions of the Baby II have a fully electric powertrain, high performance hydraulic brakes and selectable driving modes. The Base model comes with two modes; Novice which is limited to 20kph (12mph) and 1kW (1.3bhp) of power, and Expert which is limited to 45 kph (30mph) and 4kW (5.4bhp) of power.

The Vitesse and Pur Sang models include the 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 (13.4 bhp) and with an all-up weight of just 230kg, achieving a top speed of 70kph (42mph). Depending on the weight of the driver, 0-60 kph is dispatched in just six seconds.


About the Author

Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.



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