Bugatti Divo

Bugatti Divo at a glance

Named after Albert Divo

The car takes its name from Albert Divo (1895–1966), a French racing driver who won the Targa Florio in Sicily twice for Bugatti, in 1928 and 1929, both times in a Type 35. Before joining Bugatti he had won the 1923 Spanish Grand Prix for Sunbeam and the 1925 French Grand Prix for Delage. The name points to the car's purpose: the Targa Florio was a race over mountain roads, decided by cornering rather than top speed.

How the Divo was born

Bugatti kept the project secret until the unveiling. The Divo was offered by invitation to existing Chiron owners, and all 40 cars were sold on the first day they became available, before the public saw the car. Its design took cues from the Type 57SC Atlantic of the 1930s and the Vision Gran Turismo concept, as the old version of this page also noted.

The final test phase started in April 2020, the first customer car was delivered in August 2020, and the last of the 40 cars was produced on 23 July 2021. By our calculation the series was worth about €200 million at the net list price.

Powertrain: Chiron engine, different priorities

The Divo uses the Chiron's 8.0-litre W16 with four turbochargers, 1,103 kW (1,500 PS) and 1,600 Nm. By our calculation that is about 138 kW per litre. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox sends the power to all four wheels, and the rear axle has an electronically controlled differential. The car reaches 100 km/h in 2.4 seconds, the same as the Chiron.

The difference is at the top end. Extra drag and the higher load on the tyres limit the Divo to 380 km/h, and it has no special key for a higher top-speed mode. The old version of this page quoted fuel consumption figures that matched no official test, so we have removed them. Our power converter translates the output into horsepower and PS.

Aerodynamics and weight

The Divo produces 456 kg of downforce at its maximum speed, 90 kg more than the Chiron, and reaches 1.6 g of lateral acceleration against 1.5 g. Bugatti said that it lapped the Nardò handling circuit in southern Italy about 8 seconds faster than the Chiron. The weight saving came from removing storage boxes in the doors and centre console, using less sound insulation and a lighter audio system. Carbon-fibre wiper blades, a carbon intercooler cover and wheels with grooved spokes also helped.

The old version of this page described other details: tail lights made by 3D printing and new LED headlamps with C-shaped elements. It also mentioned a small front luggage space for two soft bags.

Divo and Chiron compared

The comparison shows what Bugatti changed and what it left alone. The drivetrain, the gearbox and the straight-line acceleration are untouched. Everything else, from the wing to the springs, serves cornering. By our calculation the extra downforce is about the weight of a passenger, pressed onto the tyres at speed.

The exterior changes follow the same logic. The Divo has new headlamps and tail lamps, a large chin spoiler, larger front air intakes and a vent in the bonnet for the radiators. Vents in the wheel arches cool the brakes, and the tail ends in four exhaust pipes. The fixed wing also tilts to act as an air brake, as on the Chiron.

Cabin

Inside, the Divo follows the Chiron, including the large round speedometer marked beyond 400 km/h. To save weight it uses more Alcantara and carbon fibre. The old version of this page added that the seats and trim carried Divo lettering and that blue accents dominated the launch car's colour scheme.

Divo among Bugatti's special editions

The Divo was the first of the coachbuilt Chiron derivatives and the only one built mainly for handling. Its price was about twice the Chiron's base price, according to the old version of this page. The newest chapter of the brand, after the W16, is the hybrid Bugatti Tourbillon.