Anton Piëch is planning to sell his late father Ferdinand Piëch's Bugatti La Voiture Noire for 23 million Swiss francs, according to Handelsblatt newspaper, citing exclusive sales documents in its possession. The car will reportedly be offered in a discreet bidding process.
According to the documents, interested parties must first provide proof of financing of at least 23 million francs (approximately 25 million euros) and undergo identity and money laundering checks. Only then will potential buyers be given access to a data space with technical documentation, insurance information and confirmation from the Bugatti factory of the chassis number and homologation.
"Qualified buyers are invited to submit a non-binding indicative offer," the documentation states. If the offer is accepted, 20 percent of the purchase price, or a good five million euros, will have to be paid. Confidentiality is also stipulated. It is envisaged that "there will be no auction, public advertising or media attention." Well, at least the last point is apparently a thing of the past.
La Voiture Noire is considered one of the most exclusive cars in the world. There is only one example of this model. After its presentation in 2019, it was never officially confirmed who bought the car. The Internet is full of speculation and unfinished myths. Among the possible buyers was also mentioned football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who owns several vehicles of this brand. As the then director of Bugatti Stephan Winkelmann told us in an interview at the time, it was not “CR7”.
In fact, it was Ferdinand Piëch who bought the Bugatti for €16,7 million. He died in 2019, and the car was not handed over to his son Anton Piëch until 2021. At the time, the La Voiture Noire was the most expensive new car in the world at €16,7 million. In 2022, it was surpassed by the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, which reportedly cost $28 million.
According to inside sources, the start-up Piëch Automotive could join the Chinese car group Chery. Several industry experts familiar with the matter confirmed to the Handelsblatt newspaper that negotiations are currently underway with Porsche heir Anton Piëch. Piëch declined to comment when asked.
Chery CEO Yin Tongyue told the Handelsblatt newspaper that German brands have a “very strong image.” He said it had just found a new partner in Germany, but details were still confidential. When asked if the partner was Piëch Automotive, Chery said it had no further information on the matter at the moment.
Piëch Automotive has been struggling for years. More than ten years after the project began, there is still no production vehicle. The first design study for an electric sports car was presented at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The car was supposed to be the start of an entire model family. The start of production has been postponed several times. At the same time, there have been numerous changes in management. Anton Piëch did not answer the question of whether director Tobias Moers (former AMG boss) still works for the company.
