Bugatti reveals one-off 273mph Chiron Super Sport that pays tribute to the Type 55

Any Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is stunning by virtue of it being a complex, mind-boggling piece of machinery capable of 273mph. This one, yet another ‘one-of-one’, is… yet another stunning Chiron Super Sport.

At base level, yes, it’s a Chiron with fancy yellow and black paint daubed across its impressive streamliner flanks. And a few decals showcasing the number 55.

But a deeper glance reveals the significance, for this not-so-little bumblebee is painted in the colours of the very first Bugatti Super Sport, the Type 55, introduced at the beginning of the 1930s.

Only 38 Type 55 Super Sports were ever built, making this Chiron even rarer than that Grand Prix racer. The owner of the car worked with Bugatti’s personalisation department ‘Sur Mesure’ to create the yellow and black finish that appeared on the 55, but here acting as a way to “visually break up the expansive surfaces of the hyper sports car”. Yeah, it's a big car.

The fading ‘55’ pattern above the lights and across the arches was applied by hand and made to look like it fades, and we’re told this itself was a very “long and intricate process”. Equally intricate are the 10-spoke black wheels. Ditto the ’55 1 of 1’ hiding underneath the rear wing.

Venture inside and you’ll unsurprisingly find yet more ‘55’ motifs and inscriptions in a cabin decked out in “sleek” black leather.

“Even 100 years after his time, we have remained totally connected to Jean [Bugatti] and his designs,” said Sur Mesure manager Jascha Straub.

Indeed, there’s another connection. Nearly 100 years ago, the Type 55 was a top speed demon, able to reach 112mph. In 2024, it can trace a line to a complex, mind-boggling piece of machinery now capable of 273mph.