2023 RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale (Bugatti Chiron Profilée Sold)

The unique 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold for €9,792,5000 (US $10,677,74) as the most expensive car in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 classic car auction during Rétromobile week.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

The one-off 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold for €9,792,5000 (US $10,677,74) as the most expensive car in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 classic car auction and the second-most-expensive Bugatti ever in nominal terms. The Profilée was developed as a less radical interpretation of the Chiron Pur Sport but as production slots for all 500 Bugattis were already filled before development was completed, only this one example was ever produced.

RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 Classic Car Auction

RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 classic car auction during Rétromobile Week: on 1 February 2023 at a new venue at Salles du Carrousel du Louvre.

In 2022 and 2021, the RM Sotheby’s Paris sales were smaller auctions as Rétromobile week was either canceled or postponed. Previous RM Sotheby’s Paris results included:

  • 2020: earned €16.5 million, a sell-through rate of 75%.
  • 2019: earned €32.4 million, a sell-through rate of 79%.
  • 2018: earned €23,745,335, a fairly strong 83% sell-through rate.
  • 2017: earned €27,576,400 ($29,451,595) with a sell-through rate of 78%.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée Sold at RM Paris 2023

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée topped results in the 2023 RM Sotheby's Paris Sale.
© 2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The one-off 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold for €9,792,5000 (US $10,677,74) as the most expensive car in the RM Sotheby’s Paris 2023 classic car auction. As a brand-new car sold on a bill-of-sale, a sizeable tax bill may also follow.

This was the highest price ever paid in a public auction for a new car and also set the new Chiron model record. It is the second-most-expensive Bugatti ever in nominal terms and only the fifth Buggati ever to achieve over $10 million at a public auction.

The Bugatti Chiron Profilée is one of only three 21st-century cars to have achieved more than $10 million in a public auction. The most expensive 21st-century car sold for $14.9 million at Sotheby’s in Geneva: the 2003 Ferrari F2003-GA in which Michael Schumacher secured his sixth Formula 1 Wrld driver’s championship. The other is the previous new car record holder: the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta that sold for $10,043,000 as a charity lot in 2017.

Only around half a dozen Chirons have ever been sold at public auction. Prices ranged from $2.6 million for the more “basic” Chiron while the sole 2022 Buggati Chiron Super Sport 300+ sold set the previous model record of $4,860,000 at RM Sotheby’s London 2022.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée at RM Paris 2023

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

The Chiron Pur Sport, revealed in 2020, was the most extreme variant of the Chiron family. To satisfy customer requests for a Chiron model that would integrate aspects of the Pur Sport character, while maintaining the timeless elegance of models like Chiron or Chiron Sport, the Profilée was born.

Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles, said: “Taking customer wishes to explore a less radical version of the Pur Sport seriously into consideration, we started with the design and development of the Chiron Profilée in Autumn 2020. By the time we saw the pre-series vehicle coming out of production, all Chiron slots limited to just 500 were assigned for. But we knew that what we had created was too beautiful to be hidden away. It is – in every sense – a unique piece in Bugatti’s history and a true collector’s item. And we wanted to give a fair chance to any devotee of the Bugatti brand to acquire this unique car, so we decided to partner with RM Sotheby’s to auction it.”

Bugatti Chiron Profilée

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

The Profilée is a bespoke design showpiece featuring a sweeping fixed tail at the rear, which carries out two crucial functions. Firstly, the wing ensures stability and control right up to the Profilée’s 380 km/h top speed by increasing downforce over the rear axle, and secondly, it uses negative pressure to suck hot air out of the engine compartment via two interior tunnels in the high-temperature carbon wing. Air flows both over the top of the wing to generate downforce, but also under the wing to draw air from the engine compartment.

At the front of this unique hyper sports car, the Profilée was given wider air inlets and an enlarged Bugatti horseshoe grille to help funnel more cooling air into the radiators. A revised front splitter works in tandem with a sculpted underbody to further increase downforce and maximize airflow. As with any Bugatti, the mastery of airflow for both cooling, drag reduction and downforce is fundamental in delivering the extraordinary performance that has become a hallmark of Bugatti cars.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

In keeping with a character the forms the Chiron lineage, the Profilée maintains much of the purity of the Pur Sport, transferring the high-tech design for outstanding lateral grip and ultimate acceleration. It is powered by the same 1,500 PS development of the Bugatti W16 engine, with 15 per cent shorter transmission ratios. The Profilée accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.3 seconds and up to 200 km/h in 5.5 seconds. It has a top speed of 380 km/h compared with the Chiron Pur Sport’s 350 km/h.

The Profilée is presented in a primary color of Argent Atlantique, exclusively developed for this car. No other Chiron has been configured in this shade. The lower part of the car is finished in exposed carbon fiber, tinted in the existing Bugatti color of Bleu Royal Carbon. The wheels are – again – unique, especially designed, manufactured and tested for the Profilée, and finished in a shade of Le Patron, created to match the carbon tint of the lower half of the body. Polished aluminum elements reflect the famous shape of the Bugatti horseshoe grille.

2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée on sale at RM Sotheby's Paris 2023
© Courtesy of Bugatti

The interior of Profilée is familiar to Chiron owners, finished by hand at Bugatti’s Atelier in Molsheim. Designed around authentic and high-quality materials, such as leather, carbon, or solid aluminum, each component is worked and refined by hand for hours. The design itself follows a philosophy of defined minimalism, reducing each component to its simplest and most beautiful form. The Profilée becomes the first Chiron fitted with a woven leather finish in the interior, applied to the dashboard, door panels and center console. In total, more than 2,500 meters of leather strips are used to create this complex and beautiful finish. The Profilée is equipped with Comfort seats finished in Gris Rafale and Deep Blue leather, featuring the quilting pattern, “air parade”. A black anodized frame inlay in the center console features the Profilée signature; one final unique touch applied to this special creation.

Paris Rétromobile Week Auctions 2023

Classic Car Auctions

The following three sales traditionally open the European classic car auction year during the Paris Rétromobile Week that is held from 1 to 5 February 2023 at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles

  • Artcurial: Rétromobile Sale on 3 February 2023.
  • Bonhams: Les Grandes Marques à Paris Sale on 2 February 2023.
  • RM Sotheby’s: Paris Auction 1 February 2023 at Salles du Carrousel du Louvre.

Paris Rétromobile Auctions 2023 Results

Paris Rétromobile Auctions 2023 Pre-Sale Announcements

Previous Paris Rétromobile Week Auction Results