The Bugatti Centodieci is hardly considered a new model anymore. It debuted way back in 2019 and hasn’t hit the production lines yet. The reason? The French automaker wants to make sure everything is absolutely perfect with the supercar and this requires extensive testing procedures. After finishing its hot-weather testing program in October last year, Bugatti is now moving to the cold-weather evaluations.
The mission seems relatively easy at a glance. Bugatti puts the Centodieci into a climate chamber where the car sits for a few days so that every titanium screw and every inch of carbon fiber can reach the specified temperature of -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius). Once the desired temperature levels are hit, the engineering team inspects every little aspect of the vehicle. One particular detail they are very interested in is the mechanism that controls the side windows.
Gallery: Bugatti Centodieci in climate chamber
“Like any other Bugatti, the Centodieci has to perform impeccably at all temperatures, be it 50 degrees Celsius or minus 20 degrees Celsius,” explains Carl Heilenkötter, Bugatti’s technical manager for limited production projects at Bugatti. “We owe this to our quality pledge and to our customers.” Or, simply put, Bugatti wants to ensure the Centodieci is safe for use under extreme climate conditions even if the customers are likely never going to go out for a drive during harsh winters.
Even after the climate chambers tests are finished, the Centodieci won’t be ready for deliveries. Bugatti plans to conduct endurance testing over a distance of more than 18,600 miles (30,000 kilometers). In addition, hundreds of high-speed test drives will be performed before the car goes into production. Just 10 examples will be assembled and all of them should be delivered to their new owners before the year’s end.
