Revealed at “The Quail” as part of Monterey Car Week, the new Bugatti Divo represents the next step into the extreme for the company that produces the fastest car on the planet - the Chiron. The new car takes a slightly different approach to life compared to the Chiron. Apart from being extremely fast and ridiculously powerful, the Divo moves a bit more to the dynamism and cornering abilities, so the top speed is its second priority. While it is based on the Chiron, the Divo feels like a new car, and this made me list a number of facts and differences between the Divo and the Chiron.

Now, I did say that the top speed feels like it’s only the second priority for the Divo. Well, that second priority is at 236 mph.

1. Cost of $5.8 million compared to $3 million for the Chiron

How, for the love of god, can it cost twice as much as the Chiron? Well, Stephan Winkelmann knows his customers. And he knows they will spend twice the money for one Divo, just for the sake of it. If you are still living in Wonderland, let me tell you something, everything costs as much as someone is prepared to pay for it.

2. Bugatti will produce 40 units compared to 500 units of the Chiron

With 40 units planned for production, the Bugatti Divo is one of the most exclusive vehicles in the world. Ever. Why only 40? I don’t know. Bugatti will make a quarter of a billion on them. Enough, right?

3. Bugatti sold each unit even before it was unveiled

Even before silk sheets were taken off at The Quail, Bugatti sold all 40 units of the new Divo. This goes to show that the world will always have enough madly rich people who get to enjoy things like these even before we even lay our eyes on them.

4. 77 pounds lighter compared with Chiron and tipping the scales at 4,398 lbs

Speaking to the press at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Pierre Rommelfanger, Divo Project Leader, noted that Bugatti would like to lower the weight even more, but it was not really possible to do so as the Chiron is basically made of carbon-fiber.

“You could have done some things more extreme, but I think that's not matching our customer expectation," concluded Rommelfanger. Plus, some of the insulation was removed as well.

5. It produces 198 pounds of downforce more than the Chiron

With 1005 lbs of downforce, the Divo is far more capable of putting all the power to the ground and holding its own in high-speed bends. Designers worked overtime in trying to find an edge which will provide the Divo with more downforce than any Bugatti before. They ended up with a car that looks strikingly similar to that Vision Concept the company revealed for the Gran Turismo game.

In order to create more downforce, designers created a new wider front spoiler, a new rear diffuser, a larger rear spoiler, and optimized the so-called “air curtain” the Divo creates when it moves.

6. The six-foot-wide hydraulic wing is 25-percent wider than the Chiron's

In order to achieve aerodynamic supremacy over the Chiron, Bugatti crafted a rather impressive six-foot-long rear wing. It is hydraulically assisted and fully active. Plus, the unique shape of the roof leads air towards the wing and ensures that everything is working as efficiently as possible.

7. "To date, a modern Bugatti has represented a perfect balance between high performance, straight-line dynamics, and luxurious comfort," said Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. "Within our possibilities, we have shifted the balance in the case of the Divo further towards lateral acceleration, agility, and cornering. The Divo is made for bends."

Winkelmann’s words obviously show that Bugatti is finally focusing on crafting a car that is capable of cornering as impressively as it is able to accelerate. The Divo is, I suspect, the first in a line of special edition models, some of which will definitely focus on track performance. It does wear the name of a famed Bugatti racing driver from the past.

8. Lateral acceleration is increased to maximum 1.6 G compared to 1.5 G of the Chiron

Thanks to suspension changes (everything is stiffer now), along with the added downforce, the new Bugatti Divo can corner more eagerly compared with the Chiron.

9. Top Speed is limited to 236 mph

Interestingly enough, Bugatti went on to lower the top speed of the Divo to 236 mph compared to that of the Chiron (261 mph). It turns out that the changes made were simply too much for the tires. Added downforce, 1-degree camber change, and different suspension setup put too much strain on the tires. At 261 mph, they won’t. Bugatti is actually saving your life with this limit.

10. The Divo can lap the 3.85 mile Nardo Circuit 8 seconds faster than the Chiron

Nardo is a challenging circuit. It is not extremely long either which makes the results of the Divo even more astounding. It lapped the 3.85-mile Nardo track eight seconds faster than the Chiron. This is a serious improvement.

11. The Bugatti Divo is named after Albert Divo.

He was a two-time winner of the Targa Florio in the 1920s with the Bugatti Type 35 B in 1928 and the Type 35 C in 1929. This guy is a Frenchman of Italian descent. Just like Ettore Bugatti. Coincidence? I think not!

12. The upper part of the car is finished in Titanium Liquid Silver with the lower part of the vehicle actually getting the Divo Racing Blue.

This unique color scheme is only applied to the Divo. Of course, the buyers will be able to spec out their cars to their liking.

13. Bugatti's Vision Gran Turismo concept of 2015 served as a major inspiration for the Divo.

Its awesome NACA ducts found their way on the Divo. Located on the rear end of the roof, the NACA ducts are directing air in the engine compartment, cooling the engine and feeding its 1.479 horsepower with much-needed air.

14. Bugatti changed the stiffness of some suspension features and adjusted the camber which resulted in new calibrations for the steering to "ensure more direct response and significantly sportier driving behavior."

15. The Divo is 0.1 seconds quicker from 0-62 mph compared with the Chiron. It will launch to the magical number in 2.4 seconds. Don’t tell anyone I told you, but I am sure it can do it even quicker.

16. Bugatti claims that the Divo is the agilest Bugatti car ever made.

17. It has the Bugatti name written on the rear end instead of getting the EB logo.

18. The seats are finished in a different color to additionally highlight that the Divo has a driver-focused nature. For the car revealed at The Quail, Bugatti integrated blue details to the driver’s side but bathed the passenger side of the car in black.

19. The steering wheel has a new red starter button and a red mode selector. Usually, Bugatti keeps this painted anything but red. Behind the steering wheel, Bugatti installed longer paddles for the Ricciardo-built, seven-speed, double-clutch transmission.

20. The Bugatti Divo features 3-D rear lights. When 44 LEDs in 3-D printed light fins spark up, they create a unique expression of light unmatched by any other car in the world. Honestly, the Divo looks like a concept car with all the lights turned on. The rear of the Aston Martin Vulcan is the only one that looks this dashing and futuristic.

21. Bugatti created an all-new front end with larger air intakes, a dominant and wider Bugatti horseshoe, and a more pronounced splitter. The car features super thin light segments (35 millimeters in width) positioned at the edges for an illusion of an even wider car.

22. All 40 produced units will be homologated for road use.

23. Heat was a problem. To solve it, Bugatti developed a new system for cooling the brakes and the engine. Numerous air inlets on the body are in charge of brake cooling, pressure release from the wheel wells, and extracting heat from the engine compartment.

24. The spoiler, diffuser, and air outlets are finished in bare carbon. Because, of course, they are.

25. I know you would like to see it on the Nurburgring, but when asked about the Divo reaching the Green Hell, Stephan Winkelmann, Bugatti Chief said - “Not for the time being, no.”

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Bugatti Divo.

Read our full review on the 2018 Bugatti Chiron.

Read our full review on the 2018 Bugatti Chiron Sport.

Read our full review on the 2016 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo.