The Bugatti limited edition of 500 units now goes into series production and have more pace than you might expect
At the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, Bugatti announced its 110th birthday present to itself, the reimagining of the original Bugatti Baby. The brand is delighted to announce the completion of the design and testing phase, the car has gone into series production and clients will be soon be taking delivery of the very first cars. Developed in partnership with The Little Car Company, the Baby II has been described by those who have had the opportunity to drive it as ‘more of an unruly teenager than a Baby’.
While all 500 cars were accounted for just three weeks after last year’s show, some clients have had a change in circumstances due to recent global events, meaning a very few build slots have become available and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
An authentic tribute to the original, but with added performance
The original Bugatti Baby was born in 1926 when Ettore and his son Jean decided to build a scaled-down Type 35 for Ettore’s youngest son, Roland, on the occasion of his fourth birthday. Ettore and Jean had intended the present as a one-off car, however the feedback from customers visiting Molsheim was so positive that the Baby went into production and was sold between 1927 and 1936. Cherished by Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide, today no collection is complete without a Baby. However, with only around 500 ever made, they have been the preserve of the lucky few.
While the original Bugatti Baby was a 50% scale version of the car that brought Automobiles Ettore Bugatti to fame in the 1920s, the Bugatti Baby II offers more in terms of size and considerably more in terms of performance. Eight year olds would struggle to fit in the original half-scale Baby, whereas at 75% scale and designed for ages fourteen and above, the Baby II has definitely become more of a young adult.
“Ettore Bugatti himself was already interested in catering to the children of Bugatti enthusiasts and designed the Type 52 miniature car as a genuine Bugatti. That was a sensation at the time,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “We are continuing this tradition with the new edition of the Bugatti Baby II, and I am delighted that we have found The Little Car Company, a partner that shares the same values as us. With the Bugatti Baby II, we invite a young generation of enthusiasts to fall in love with the wonderful world of Bugatti.”
Iconic design meets today’s technology
The Bugatti Baby II is available in three versions:
- Base model with a composite body and a 1.4kWh battery pack
- Vitesse model with a carbon fibre body, 2.8kWh battery pack and an upgraded powertrain including a Speed Key like it’s big brother, the Chiron1.
- Pur Sang model, targeted at collectors. The Pur Sang offers the same powertrain as the Vitesse but with beautiful, hand-formed aluminium bodywork. Using the same traditional coachbuilding techniques as the original Bugatti Type 35, each aluminium body takes more than two hundred hours of skilled craftsmanship to create.
The Baby II’s performance has grown, too. Still rear wheel drive, all versions of the Baby II have a limited slip differential, 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 versions 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, the Vitesse & Pur Sang models will try and spin their rear Michelin tyres from standstill, on the way to a 70kph (42mph) top speed. Depending on the weight of the driver, 0-60 kph is dispatched in just six seconds.
When it comes to range, the lithium ion battery packs combined with regenerative braking will also surprise clients used to the original Baby. When driven carefully, the Base model can achieve 25km of range on a single charge. The larger battery pack in the Vitesse & Pur Sang models doubles that, meaning a driver can achieve more than 50km, though not if they decide to unleash the full performance of the Baby II. And if that’s not enough? The replaceable battery packs can be swapped out in a matter of seconds so the fun can continue.
When it comes to handling, the Baby II is completely true to its mythical predecessor, the Bugatti Type 35. Based on a digital 3D scan of an original Lyon GP car with identical geometry and suspension, the handling is as authentic as an enthusiast could hope for. The only nod to modernity is the introduction of adjustable dampers, allowing clients to tailor the handling in ways not possible in the Type 35’s heyday. Bugatti Test Pilot, Andy Wallace, was even involved in the final development of the tuning and setup of the Baby II. In addition, key elements of chassis refinement even took place at the famous Prescott Speed Hill Climb, home of the Bugatti Owners Club.
Other features which will appeal to enthusiasts include faithful working replicas of the original Type 35’s instruments, with some adaption for modernity. For example, the fuel pressure gauge has now become the battery gauge and in a nod to the Bugatti Veyron, the oil gauge has transitioned into a power gauge. The scale replica of the famous four spoke steering wheel now has a quick release to make access to the cockpit easier. The adjustable pedals are machined from solid aluminium billet and proudly display Bugatti’s famous “EB” logo, while the fuel pump handle has been exactly reproduced, but now serves as the forward, neutral and reverse selector.
The turned aluminium dashboard is as present and correct as it was on the original Type 35, and custom ‘EB’ switches operate the LED headlights in sidelight and main beam modes. Finally, proudly displayed on the nose of each car is Bugatti’s famous ‘Macaron’ badge, made of solid silver, an exact 75% replica of the badge on the Chiron.
The car can even be customised in multiple colours for both the exterior and interior, including the exact same solid shades available on the Bugatti Chiron, and an online configurator is available to play with on the BugattiBaby.com website.
In addition, all owners of Baby IIs will receive membership of The Little Car Club and the Bugatti Owners’ Club, and be able to attend events where they, their children and grandchildren can drive their cars at famous motor racing circuits.
Appealing to enthusiasts old and new
“When you first sit in the car and look at each tiny detail, it reminds me in some ways of the first few months with the Chiron. You get the same feeling walking around the car, as everywhere you look there are beautifully engineered solutions and design details that really are quite amazing“ says Andy Wallace, Bugatti test driver and Le Mans winner. “It would be easy to create something like this with a quarter of the quality, but that’s what’s so brilliant about this car: it’s absolutely top-of-the-line, a work of art on wheels.“
“In its most powerful mode, when you have the ‘Speed Key’ inserted, the Baby II is a very fast car. It’s quite impressive and brilliantly fun. You get a lovely feel of balance, it handles just like the original Type 35 and the regenerative braking is a very cool touch. It’s truly an authentic Bugatti, there are no questions about that.”
The Little Car Company CEO Ben Hedley said: “To develop the Baby II we had to walk a fine line. We wanted to pay tribute to the original Bugatti Baby and Type 35, but also wanted to integrate modern technology and make it fun to drive. We are delighted to deliver the hand-built Baby II to customers and allow multiple generations to share the joy of driving. We believe that the vehicle is something really special, delighting collectors and car enthusiasts around the world. As a counterpoint to Bugatti’s production car world speed record last summer, we have developed a vehicle which you can enjoy at much lower speeds with your children and grandchildren”.
With the Base model starting at €30,000, the Vitesse at €43,500 and the collectable Pur Sang topping the range at €58,500 there is sure to be a Bugatti Baby II for both enthusiasts and collectors alike.
BUGATTI BABY II REVEALED
Prototype Baby II test driven by customers at the brand’s 110th anniversary in Molsheim
Molsheim, 18 September 2019. For the celebration of the 110th anniversary of Bugatti, a very special surprise was prepared for the enthusiasts of La Marque: the unveiling of the first Bugatti Baby II prototype. Earlier this year, at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Bugatti had revealed the reimagining of the iconic Bugatti Baby as a 3D printed model. It captured the imagination of automotive enthusiasts around the world, and the limited edition run of 500 cars sold out completely within three weeks.
“When a company with such a colourful and proud history as Bugatti turns 110, you can allow yourself to look into the rear view mirror a little bit more than you usually would. Thus, it is only fitting for our anniversary year to revive the Bugatti Baby”, explained Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “The Bugatti Baby II has grown up to be more of a teenager now, and I must say I’m very excited to see it drive around on the Bugatti premises in Molsheim.”
A 110th birthday present to ourselves
To design the Baby II, Bugatti has partnered with The Little Car Company to produce the greatest junior car ever created. After months of development, the Bugatti Baby II has now reached the point where the first prototype, named XP1 was ready for test drives by VIPs at La Grande Fête in Molsheim.
Based on the iconic Bugatti Type 35, the Baby II combines the playfulness of the original Baby, reimagined with 21st century technology. To allow the Baby II to be driven by both adults and children, it has grown from the 50% scale of the original to a 75% scale replica of the Type 35, and includes a sliding pedal box for drivers young and old. So, while the original 500 Babys could be a tight squeeze for even the smallest children, the Baby II allows parents and grandparents to share the love of driving with their children and grandchildren.
Ben Hedley, CEO of the Little Car Company said: “It’s been a huge honour to be involved in this project with Bugatti. The Baby is a key part of Bugatti’s heritage, and we wanted to create something which is deserving of the name. We set out to design something which was respectful of the original but also great fun to drive, and the early feedback from customers tells us we’ve achieved that.”
Engineering a masterpiece
The first stage for the Baby II engineering team was to digitally scan every single component of a 1924 Type 35 Lyon Grand Prix car. From there the designers adapted Ettore Bugatti’s masterpiece, introducing a modern electric powertrain with lithium ion batteries and regenerative braking.
Other elements were gently redesigned for the modern age. The ground-breaking eight-spoke alloy wheels were replicated, but are now wearing modern Michelin tyres. The innovative lightweight hollow front axle has been reproduced, as has the elegant suspension and signature steering mechanism from the original.
In the cockpit, the classic four spoke steering wheel sits in front of a turned aluminium dash with custom Bugatti instruments. While the original cars had a tachometer with oil and fuel pressure gauges, these have been replaced with a speedometer, battery level indicator and power gauge (first seen on the Veyron). The clock used for measuring race performance in the Type 35 remains.
The fuel pressure pump from the Type 35 has been digitally replicated and repurposed as a forward / reverse control, and all cars will come with a horn, rear view mirror, handbrake, headlights and a remote control to disable the car from up to 50 meters should an inexperienced driver get carried away. Sat proudly in the centre of the dashboard is a plaque giving the unique chassis number of the Baby II, and displayed on the nose of every car will be Bugatti’s famous ‘Macaron’ badge, made of 50g of solid silver, just like the Chiron.
Designed for fun
The Baby II has been designed to be fun to drive from the start. The rear wheel drive powertrain comes with two selectable power modes for drivers of different experience: a 1kW ‘child mode’ with the top speed limited to 20 km/h, and a 4kW ‘adult mode’ with the top speed limited to 45 km/h. In addition, for those enthusiasts who crave even more pace, some versions come with a ‘Speed Key’ just like its big brother, the Chiron, which allows power of up to 10kW and disengages the speed limiter. Fortunately there is a Limited Slip Differential to help drivers make the most of the torque available at the rear wheels.
As standard the car will be painted in French Racing Blue with a black leather interior, but other colour options will be available for both the exterior and interior. These include the opportunity to have your Baby II painted in the same solid contemporary colours as the Chiron, or alternatively there is a selection of vintage colours, each dedicated to a famous driver or event from the history of Bugatti.
The car will come with two sizes of removable battery, a standard 1.4 kWh pack and a long- range 2.8 kWh version. While exact range will depend on driving style, the larger pack is expected to give a range of more than 30km.
In addition, all owners of Baby IIs will receive membership of The Little Car Club, and be able to attend events where they, their children and their grandchildren can drive their cars at famous motor racing circuits.
Dimensions & Range
The Baby II will come in three specifications;
- Baby II with a composite body
- Baby II Vitesse with a carbon fibre body and ‘Speed Key’
- Baby II Pur Sang with a hand crafted aluminium body and ‘Speed Key’
Each Baby II is 2.8m long and 1.0m wide. The exact weight of the car will depend on the version, but starts at around 230kg without driver.
Reserve list
Whilst all 500 Bugatti Baby IIs sold out within three weeks of the Geneva Motor Show announcement, it is still possible for customers to join the reserve list should a prospective buyer pull out, or to get the first notification of any future models. For more details, please visit www.bugattibaby.com
Prices start at 30,000 euros (plus taxes and delivery) and production starts at the beginning of 2020. The car will be manufactured by the Little Car Company in the UK, and all 500 cars will be produced over the course of 2020 and 2021.
If you would like more information on the limited edition Baby II, or would like to apply for any empty build slots on a first come, first serve basis, please visit www.bugattibaby.com
1 Fuel consumption, l/100km: urban 35.2 / extra-urban 15.2 / combined 22.5; combined CO2 emissions, g/km: 516; efficiency class: G
WLTP: Fuel consumption, l/100km: low 43.3 / medium 22.2 / high 18.0 / particularly high 18.3 / combined 22.3; CO2 emissions, combined, g/km: 506; efficiency class: G