Category: US Motoring Press

Bugatti reveals its most powerful supercar yet: The $10 million Centodieci

VIDEO1:2001:20Bugatti unveils the Centodieci, its most powerful supercarThe Bottom LineBugatti debuted its most powerful supercar at Pebble Beach on Friday: a $10 million,1,600 horsepower throwback to the '90s that sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds.
The French carmaker is making a splash at Monterey's annual auto week. The Centodieci is the company's latest coachbuilt super car commemorating Bugatti's 110th anniversary.
Unlike Bugatti's $18.7 million La Voiture Noire, which was built for grand touring, the Centodieci was built for speed. The company is making just 10 of the Centodiecis, which feature Bugatti's 8.0-liter W16 engine. The company added an extra air inlet to help cool the engine.
Bugatti CentodieciSource: BugattiIt pays tribute to the EB110, the company's famous supercar of the 1990s. The La Voiture Noire, which literally translates to the black car, and a white Centodieci are both on display at “The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering” car show in Monterey, California, on Friday.
“With the Centodieci we pay homage to the EB110 super sports car which was built in the 1990s and is very much a part of our tradition-steeped history,” Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann said in a press release. The EB110 is the only Bugatti produced under former Italian owner Romano Artioli at a factory in Campogalliano, Italy, and not at the company's famous chateau in Molsheim, France.
The Centodieci races from zero to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, to 124 mph in 6.1 seconds and to 186 mph in 13.1 seconds. Like its cousin the Chiron, Bugatti electronically limited the top speed of the car to 236 mph.
Bugatti CentodieciSource: BugattiIt's about 44 pounds lighter than the Chiron. Bugatti did that with a lot of carbon fiber. The car's windshield wipers and stabilizers both use the material, creating a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.5 pounds per horsepower. With more than 200 pounds of downforce, Bugatti said it corners like the Bugatti Divo — a car built for cornering.
The Centodieci's design echoes the EB110's with familiar styling cues like the five circular air intakes toward the back of the car. Bugatti also designed all-new LED headlights to further evoke the Italian wedge shape of the previous car.
“The challenge was not to allow oneself to be captivated too much by the design of the historic vehicle and work solely in retrospect, but instead to create a modern interpretation of the shape and technology of that time,” said Achim Anscheidt, head designer at Bugatti.
Bugatti CentodieciSource: BugattiThe car's white color is also no coincidence.
“With the communication paint finish in white, we're demonstrating a powerful contrast with the La Voiture Noire – the black car just presented in March: two completely opposing yet related forces, like yin and yang,” said Winkelmann.
Bugatti made only one La Voiture Noire, which already has a buyer even though the car won't be ready for at least 2½ years. It plans to build 10 Centodiecis, which will cost roughly $10 million after taxes.
Bugatti's output is generally very limited, with the company producing just 70 cars a year. It only plans to make 500 of its Chiron supercar, and more than 400 of those were already spoken for as of April, according to the company.
Bugatti CentodieciSource: Bugatti

Luxury automakers from Bugatti to Pagani to debut new cars at Pebble Beach

The Hennessey Venom F5 concept vehicle is displayed during the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, California, U.S., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018.David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThousands of classic car fans are rolling onto California's Monterey Peninsula for what has become one of the year's most eagerly awaited automotive events.
Centered around Sunday's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, it's a week-long series of car shows, auctions, parties and other events featuring some of the world's rarest and most expensive collector cars.
But what has become known as Pebble Beach car week has also become a major event for new car fans, as well. More than a dozen different luxury brands, including Acura, BMW, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz and Pininfarina, will be on hand to show off their latest concept and production models, many of them making their world debuts.
Here's an A-to-Z look at some of the more significant introductions that already have been confirmed for Pebble Beach Car Week.
AcuraAcura Type S ConceptSource: AcuraAcura, the luxury arm of Honda, will offer the public debut of the Type S Concept at the Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, on Friday. The Type S badge has been used on a number of limited-run Acuras over the past two decades but will soon become a regular part of the line-up as a challenge to such performance sub-brands as BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. The Type S Concept is based on the next-generation Acura TLX sedan that will come to market next year.
BMWA Vision M Next concept vehicle is revealed during an event of German car producer BMW in Munich, southern Germany, on June 25, 2019.Chirstof Stache | AFP | Getty ImagesBMW is a frequent participant in the Pebble Beach Car Week events and will have a number of different models to show off this year. That includes the North American debut of the Garmisch Concept that won wild acclaim during a debut at the concourse in Villa d'Este, Italy earlier this year.
Also on hand: the Vision M Next Concept which blends a variety of different technologies that could reshape BMW's future product line-up, including battery power and autonomous driving capabilities. The automaker is keeping some secrets, however, hinting that a production version of an older concept – possibly a high-performance 8-Series Gran Coupe – will also debut in Pebble Beach.
BugattiSource: BugattiBugatti will bring the most expensive new car ever sold, the $18.7 million La Voiture Noire, to Pebble Beach. But the ultra-premium arm of the Volkswagen Group has been building suspense by teasing plans to “unveil the next great project for La Marque” at the Friday gathering at the Quail Lodge.
What's in store? Speculation has been rampant, covering everything from a new one-off of Bugatti's only current nameplate, the Chiron, to something entirely new. During an interview with Automobile magazine this month, the brand's CEO Stephan Winkelmann confirmed Bugatti has been working on an ultra-exotic utility vehicle that could top 200 mph and cost as much as $1 million.
De TomasoThe DeTomaso P72 seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019 on July 4th in Chichester, England. The annual automotive event is hosted by Lord March at his Goodwood Estate.Martyn Lucy | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesDe Tomaso is a name that delights serious classic car collectors but has been all but forgotten by most luxury buyers. The revived brand is bringing its new P72 supercar to the Monterey Peninsula — along with the only existing version of the old P70 race car developed by namesake Alejandro de Tomaso and the late Carroll Shelby in 1965.
InfinitiA Nissan Motor Co. Infiniti brand QX80 Monograph concept sports utility vehicle (SUV) sits on display during the 2017 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) in New York, U.S.Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesInfiniti comes to Pebble Beach celebrating its 30th anniversary with an array of Edition 30 models. These are specially trimmed-out versions of its most popular product lines, the Q50, Q60, QX50, QX60 and QX80. It also will bring several of its earliest models to the second-annual Japanese Automotive Invitational, one of the many ancillary events that take place during the extended classic car weekend.
KarmaKarma Revero on display at the In goop Health Summit at 3Labs on June 9, 2018 in Culver City, California.Matt Winkelmeyer | Getty ImagesKarma, currently sells the Revero, an updated version of the plug-in hybrid from the old Fisker Automotive it purchased out of bankruptcy.
The now Chinese-owned battery-car brand has promised to expand its single-car line-up over the next few years and will give a hint of what's coming at the Pebble Beach Concours in the form of both the GT and the SC1 concepts. Designed by Italy's Pininfarina, the latter, all-electric model “is a signpost to Karma's future,” according to Karma CEO Lance Zhou.
LotusThe Lotus Evija electric hypercar, manufactured by Group Lotus Plc, a unit of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd., sits on display following its unveiling at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London, U.K., on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesLotus was all but written off for dead a few years ago when its grand expansion plans collapsed. Sold to Geely, the Chinese company that also owns Volvo, it is making a grand entrance at Pebble Beach with the first of what it promises will be an assortment of new sports cars.
The Lotus Evija is an electric hypercar making 1,972 horsepower. That should be good for around 200 mph or, if you prefer, 250 miles per charge. Evija is expected to cost about $2 million.
McLarenThe McLaren GT seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019 on July 4th in Chichester, England. The annual automotive event is hosted by Lord March at his Goodwood Estate. (Photo by Martyn Lucy/Getty Images)Martyn Lucy | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesMcLaren will bring to Pebble Beach both the new GT supercar set to go on sale for $210,000 late this year, as well as the McLaren GT by MSO, a heavily customized version of the 612-horsepower grand tourer.
Like several other exotics, the British marque is betting its affluent buyers are willing to reach even deeper into their pockets for bespoke one-offs that will pair unique design features — including custom colors — with performance.
PininfarinaFerrari's Pininfarina BattistaCompany handoutPininfarina is a name that will show up seemingly everywhere during Pebble Beach Car Week. The legendary Italian design house styled a number of classics at shows like the Concours d'Elegance, as well as new models like the Karma SC1 concept.
It's also bringing its own battery hypercar, the Battista, which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show last March. This updated version now can deliver as much as 300 miles per charge, as well as a top speed of 217 mph and a 0-60 sprint of less than 2 seconds. The price tag? About $2.3 million.
PaganiPagani, the Italian-Argentine supercar company will use Pebble Beach as the stage to debut its own, all-new hypercar, the Huayra Roadster BC. Dubbed a “tribute to scientific research, beauty, and uniqueness,” by the automaker, it is powered by a 750-horsepower Mercedes-AMG V-12. For those who can't wait for the official intro, Pagani loaded a digital version of the Roadster into the CSR Racing 2 videogame. That will be a lot less expensive way to drive the hypercar, of which only 40 will be made – each carrying a $3.4 million price tag.
This is only a partial list of all the brands that will be on hand during the various events over the long week, in one form or another. Indeed, it will be the rare luxury marque that won't host a reception or place one of its concept vehicles on the lawn at the Lodge at Pebble Beach.
Collectors, meanwhile, will have an assortment of auctions to attend where some rare and unusual models will go across the block. Last year generated sales of nearly $120 million, according to McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty Insurance, which specializes in classic cars.
VIDEO2:0002:00The five hottest rides at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceThe Bottom LineDisclosure: Paul Eisenstein is a freelancer for CNBC. His travel and accommodations to Pebble Beach were paid for by Bentley.

Chinese rideshare giant Didi Chuxing makes big move in driverless car race

A logo of ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing displayed on a building in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province.STR | AFP | Getty ImagesChinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing ( “Didi”) has amassed more than 550 million users and 31 million drivers since taking to the streets of Beijing seven years ago. In the past three years, the global rideshare giant has devoted close attention to its autonomous driving unit. That unit became an independent company on Monday in a move designed to focus and designate more resources toward business development and product innovation.
The Uber-competitor established its autonomous driving team in 2016 and has since employed more than 200 people in China, as well as at its Mountain View, California research facility, where it has been working with various auto manufacturers like Volkswagen and Toyota Motors to test core innovative technologies.
Last month, Didi Chuxing received $600 million in corporate financing from Toyota, which includes directly establishing a joint venture with GAC Toyota, a joint venture between Toyota and a Chinese car maker. The new funds come as Didi continues heavy expansion in several new overseas markets, where it hopes to challenge Uber and other ride-hailing giants like India's Ola, Brazil's Easy Taxi and Singapore's Grab ⁠— a three-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company.
Didi Chuxing is also a notable Disruptor 50 company, breaking the top 10 at No. 4 in 2018 and No. 2 in 2019.
“Autonomous driving will greatly enhance the safety and efficiency of travel,” said Didi Chairman and CEO Cheng Wei in a release. “In the future, people's transportation needs … will be met by the combination of seamless autonomous driving technology and human driving services that are indispensable for their quality and warmth.”
To fund the new driverless car company, Didi is in new talks with SoftBank, according to a report from The Information. The Japanese tech and telecom giant has previously made multiple, large investments in the ride-hailing company. Based on the most recent funding round, Didi Chuxing has raised $22.74 billion and is valued at $57.6 billion.
In 2016, the same year that Didi's autonomous driving unit was established, SoftBank played an influential role in Uber's decision to sell its China business to Didi, notably pushing the U.S. ride-hailing giant out of the region and exposing Didi to their customer base outside of China for the first time.
Investors want clearer profit pathAsad Hussain, a PitchBook analyst and an expert in mobility, ride-sharing and autonomous vehicles, sees the company's decision as part of a broader trend consistent with the challenges that self-driving technology presents.
“Spinning out autonomous divisions enables these companies to raise outside capital and offers investors a more targeted bet on self-driving relative to investing in the parent entity,” he said. “We think this is a logical move for Didi and other ride-sharing companies facing pressure from investors to streamline costs and show a clear path to profitability.”
Didi went through a major round of layoffs earlier this year, according to multiple reports, as it continues to lose money, like its competitors. Uber recently announced 400 job cuts in its marketing team.
Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle unit, also announced that it would raise outside capital for the first time this past March, positioning itself to cut costs and limit downside risks.
Didi's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) will head the new autonomous driving company as CEO. In an email to CNBC, a communications representative for Didi said that the company does not currently have plans for an IPO.
Uber and Lyft, the U.S. rideshare leaders with heavy investments in driverless vehicles, have fared poorly after highly anticipated IPOs earlier this year as investors doubt how quickly they can become profitable.
VIDEO2:4902:49There will be consolidation in the driverless car industry: Pony.aiSquawk Box AsiaIn a recent survey, auto and tech industry experts predicted it will be at least 12 years before fully autonomous vehicles are being sold to private buyers. While Tesla CEO Elon Musk says 1 million Teslas capable of being robotaxis will be on the road by the end of next year, industry experts say robotaxis will not be ready for widespread public use until 2025.
Last week, General Motors subsidiary Cruise, postponed a planned launch of an autonomous ride-share service as it continues developing, validating and making sure its self-driving cars are ready.
“What's most important when we do launch this service is that we do it the right way,” Cruise CEO Dan Ammann said.