This Homemade Bugatti Is Truly Stunning
There is no shortage of magnanimous feats in the automotive industry. The McLaren F1 started the supercar race in the late 80s, and French automaker Bugatti wasn't too far behind with its quad-turbocharged EB 110. The McLaren F1's 240 mph production speed record has since given way to exotic speed machines like the Koenigsegg CCR, Bugatti Veyron, and Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. The latter is particularly impressive since it broke its predecessor's 267.8 mph speed record (per Robb Report). It's also the reason why the younger generation of car freaks have the Chiron in mind when the words "dream car," or "fastest car," crop up in conversations.
The Bugatti Chiron is a sight to behold in any configuration, and with its quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine, the Chiron could obliterate almost anything with two, three, or four wheels. It's the reason why billionaires, rock stars, and deep-pocketed car enthusiasts highlight the Chiron in their car collections. But with prices starting upwards of $3 million and a strict 500-unit production run, what should an ordinary, working-class citizen do to get their hands on their Chiron dream car?
Homemade Bugatti in one year
Some young chaps in Vietnam figured out the answer. The zany YouTubers of NHẾT TV decided not to wait for good fortune to drive the Chiron of their dreams. All it took was skill, material knowledge, and 365 days of blood, sweat, and tears. But from the looks of it, all the hard labor was worth the trouble, as they ended up building their own iteration of a Bugatti Chiron to drive.
The build process started with some welded steel tubing and mud. After delicately molding the exquisite bodywork from clay, they took fiberglass to create the body panels before installing an intricate, hand-welded steel frame. The brilliant part is the hand-crafted, hand-welded chassis and suspension components, made from scratch.
Moreover, they were keen enough to install a push-rod suspension design inspired by Formula One racing cars and modern supercars like the Lamborghini Aventador.
Fake it till you make it
The only downside is the engine: sourcing a genuine VW/Bugatti W16 powerplant is difficult, but NHẾT TV did the next best thing for their Chiron replica. They took an old 12-valve Toyota four-cylinder engine and shoehorned it at the back, along with a slick manual gearbox. Of course, this Bugatti Chiron replica might have trouble achieving the original car's performance, but breaking the production speed record is not what it's all about.
Instead, this build proves that with the right mindset and enough hands, nothing is impossible. Sure, it took a year of custom bending, welding, and shaping to get it right, but it's hard not to be impressed with the ingenuity. Making a car look great from the outside is a nice start, but NHẾT TV took the extra mile to make the interior look and feel genuine as well.
YouTube/NHẾT TV
The amazing part is this Chiron replica is not NHẾT TV's first attempt at hand-building supercars. They completed building their first creation — a Ferrari F8 Tributo replica — two years ago using the same tried-and-proven methods. But unlike the Chiron, it only took them 60 days to build the Ferrari.