Chiron

Make
Bugatti
Segment
Coupe

It may be a paragon of excess but there's no denying just how special the Bugatti Chiron is. It's a feat of engineering, melding ridiculously high levels of performance with luxury and genuine everyday usability. Then again, monied buyers forking out more than $3 million for the privilege expect this. At this level, perfection is expected.

However, that's not necessarily the case. The boutique automaker has issued a recall for a single 2018 Chiron after it was found that one of the screws that secure the front frame support may be loose. While the recall may sound rather comical, something as simple as a loose screw in a car capable of hitting 261 mph has the potential for something far more serious.

According to the NHTSA, the loose screw may reduce the Chiron's structural protection in a collision, increasing the risk of injury for occupants. Thankfully, just one unit is affected and Bugatti is acting quickly. A dealer will examine the front frame support and screws and, if necessary, tighten them. This isn't the first time the Chiron has been recalled, with 12 US examples afflicted with faulty seat recliners.

Alarmingly, the desirable hypercar was part of another recall in 2018, related to the side airbags. Improperly installed heat shields could reduce the performance of the life-saving items. Thankfully, just two examples were part of the recall.

Sadly, recalls have become part and parcel of the automotive industry and while it's alarming that a prestigious, low-volume manufacturer such as Bugatti can get it wrong, we applaud the company for acting swiftly, despite the involvement of just a single Chiron.

Even though the Chiron has been around for quite some time, the automaker is still milking the hypercar for all that it's worth. With the unveiling of a bespoke Super Sport, the company announced deliveries of the more focused Chiron variant have now commenced. That doesn't mean the hypercar isn't facing retirement in the coming years, though.

The Molsheim-based carmaker has previously said a Chiron replacement will be introduced by the middle of the decade. Things have changed since that announcement was made; Bugatti now operates under the joint venture that is Bugatti Rimac. This newly-founded partnership has the potential to bring forth myriad changes and exciting developments and, judging by the latest teaser, they're not far off.

It's unlikely to be the Chiron's direct replacement but, with Rimac's expertise in electric motors, it may very well be an electrified (or fully electric) sibling to sit alongside the aging but wonderful W16-powered hypercar.