To be honest, we're surprised that a Bugatti showroom wasn't opened in Monaco sooner.
Bugatti has opened a showroom in Monaco, Monte Carlo, and the historic location has a greater connection with the automaker's history than you may imagine.
Monaco is noteworthy for its place on the annual Formula 1 circuit, where it sits as the crown jewel of the calendar, gleaming with prestige and glamor. And Bugatti, as much as it evokes images of luxury and splendor, also has a rich history of partaking in the premier form of motorsport, with some of its defining moments taking place in the principality.
Speaking of the rich, Monaco is a tax haven densely populated by some extremely wealthy people, which makes us wonder why it took so long to open a store here. Perhaps Bugatti was holding out for prime real estate, and if so, the wait has been worth it.
A Bugatti Type 35B piloted by William Charles Frederick Grover won the very first Circuit de Monaco Grand Prix in 1929. Louis Chiron, the Bugatti racing driver whose name inspired the French automaker's sensational super sports car, was also born here in 1899. He would win the Monaco Grand Prix 32 years later, and while Bugatti is not currently in the sport, it's a fitting tribute that the brand has returned to one of its spiritual homes.
The new store is situated on the iconic La Rascasse corner, where Charles Leclerc crashed a historic F1 car last year. Thankfully, there were no Bugattis nearby at the time. As one can imagine, the opening of this location was no ordinary ribbon-cutting ceremony. As such, no ordinary cars were on display either.
The latest car from the Molsheim atelier, the Bugatti W16 Mistral, took center stage in the showroom. There's not much square footage here - Monaco is notoriously dense - so guests were then spirited away to the Cars Collection of H.S.H., the Prince of Monaco, where they were given a personalized guided tour by the Director of the Collection, Valerie Closier.
These guests were also given an up-close look at creations like the one-off La Voiture Noire, one of the ten Centodieci hypercars made in tribute to the EB110, a Divo, and a hand-painted version of the Chiron Pur Sport known as the Grand Prix. These and the W16 Mistral will remain on display until April 28.
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