Bugatti CEO Pursues Stolen Chiron in Porsche 911
In an extraordinary turn of events, Mate Rimac, the CEO of Bugatti Rimac, found himself in an unexpected high-speed pursuit after his Bugatti Chiron, a hypercar valued in the millions, was stolen directly from the company's premises in Croatia. This incident highlighted Rimac's rather unconventional practice of leaving the keys inside his vehicles, a habit that, in this instance, presented an irresistible opportunity for a daring thief.
The saga began when an employee noticed the Chiron departing the facility at an alarming speed, prompting an immediate internal alert. It quickly became clear that this was no authorized joyride by a staff member. Rimac, wasting no time, contacted law enforcement but chose not to passively await developments. Seizing the initiative, he jumped into a nearby Porsche 911, which conveniently had a full tank of fuel, and embarked on a personal quest to reclaim his stolen masterpiece.
Despite the thief gaining an hour's head start and heading towards Slovenia, a critical feature of the Chiron proved invaluable: its advanced live telemetry system. This sophisticated technology allowed Rimac and his team to track the hypercar's precise location, speed, and even fuel level in real-time. These continuous updates were relayed to the police via a group chat, effectively transforming the stolen vehicle into a high-tech tracking beacon.
The pursuit continued across borders, with the Chiron eventually entering Austria. The team closely monitored its diminishing fuel supply, anticipating the thief would need to stop for gas. However, the perpetrator seemingly had alternative plans. Upon eventually stopping for fuel, the thief filled half the tank of the quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W16 engine, but reportedly departed without settling the bill. The chase concluded when Austrian police, armed with constant location updates from the Bugatti team, successfully intercepted the Chiron.
Remarkably, Rimac opted not to press charges against the thief, expressing a degree of empathy for the individual. Nevertheless, the act of stealing such a high-value vehicle remains a serious offense under the law. This dramatic episode has profoundly influenced Rimac's approach to vehicle security, leading to a new policy of never leaving keys unattended at the factory. He issued a clear warning to any future aspiring joyriders: the company possesses all vehicle data, rendering any unauthorized attempt to use the car futile.
Footage from the factory's security cameras revealed the casual nature of the theft, showing the suspect, cigarette in hand, discovering the keys in the Chiron and driving off, seemingly oblivious to the advanced tracking capabilities that would ultimately lead to his apprehension and the car's recovery. While the Chiron sustained minor damage to its front bumper, it was an easily repairable issue, ensuring a largely unscathed return for the multi-million euro hypercar. This incident serves as a memorable lesson on the intersection of advanced automotive technology and unexpected human behavior.