Chiron

Make
Bugatti
Segment
Coupe

Global automakers like the Volkswagen Group are constantly paying close attention to their finances. If a certain brand is not performing the way it should, immediate action is often taken. When VW realized Bentley was losing money, a deadline was given to get things right or else. Today, Bentley is thriving, mainly thanks to Porsche's assistance. But last fall word came in that VW was interested in selling a significant stake in a certain other ultra-premium brand, and now it seems a final decision on the matter is close.

Speaking to German language Automobilwoche, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume acknowledged electric vehicle hypercar company Rimac Automobili and Bugatti could work well together but stopped short of outright stating a deal was imminent.

"At the moment there are intense deliberations on how Bugatti can be developed in the best possible way. Rimac could play a role here because the brands are a good technological fit," he said. "There are various scenarios with different structures. I believe that the issue will be decided by the group in the first half of the year."

Blume is a member of the Volkswagen AG management board that decides such matters. Porsche already has a stake in Rimac and Blume reiterated the goal of helping Rimac become a tier 1 supplier for batteries and other EV-related hardware and software. Porsche first took a 10 percent stake in the Croatian automaker back in 2018 and increased that to 15.5 percent in 2019. Porsche isn't the only mainstream brand that has invested in Rimac. Hyundai and Jaguar have done so and so has fellow hypercar company Koenigsegg.

But sources last September claimed the VW Group is interested in trading Bugatti for a 49 percent stake in Rimac. Founder Mate Rimac has repeatedly denied requests for comment on the matter. Bugatti is currently valued at around 500 million euros. Rimac, maker of the C_Two all-electric hypercar, is set to unveil the production-spec version very soon. Last week, the one-off 1,479 horsepower Bugatti Chiron Sport named 'Alice' debuted, which was ordered by a husband as a Valentine's Day gift to his wife.

Bugatti may not be the only VW Group brand with big changes in store. There are also purported plans to spin-off Porsche as a way to help generate additional cash to help fund EV development. Chances are a final decision regarding Bugatti's future will happen first.