Bugatti – Baby Driver

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Chris Pollitt

The Bugatti Type 35 is arguably the most successful competition car to be built, and that’s a fact that you’d want to celebrate. Certainly the car’s creator, Ettore Bugatti did, which is why, way back in 1926, he built 500 more. However, the 500 he built weren’t full-blooded race cars. No, instead they were rinky, dinky cars for the client’s children to drive. A pedal car in a nutshell, but a pedal car designed, engineered and built by Bugatti itself. It was a clever idea, with the clients of Bugatti more than keen to get their hands on the Bugatti Baby, as it had become known. 

Roll on to 2019 and Baby’s back, and this time it’s electrified. Outside of the context of cars, that sounds like a terrible B-Movie title. It’s not though, this is Baby II, an homage to the Baby of 1926 that so thrilled the next generation of drivers all those years ago. And while, thanks to significant advances in production, it would be easy to simply remake the Baby of old, Bugatti has taken things forward a touch. 

Bugatti, Bugatti 110, Bugatti Baby II, Bugatti Type 35, Type 35

The car, which has been built in collaboration with The Little Car Company is a 75% scale recreation of that famous Bugatti Type 35 Lyon Grand Prix car. Engineers have painstakingly 3D scanned every inch of the original, full-size car, and scaled it down before seeking out a means to craft the smaller parts this process presented them with. 

Other elements were modernised, with the drivetrain now being 100% electric. It has the option of being either 1kW in ‘child mode’ with a top speed of 20kph, though at the flick of a switch it can be put in ‘adult mode’ which means 4kW and as such, a top speed of 45kph. Though for those who have no fear whatsoever, you can use the ‘speed key’ to knock the power up to 10kW, which in turn disengages the speed limiter. 

Bugatti, Bugatti 110, Bugatti Baby II, Bugatti Type 35, Type 35

The full production run of 500 will be painted in French Racing Blue, with contrasting black leather interior, though buyers will be able to specify other option, should they wish. If it were us, we’d have to stick with the colours of the original Type 35 – seems only right. 

The car will come with two sizes of removable battery, a standard 1.4 kWh pack and a long-range 2.8 kWh version. While exact range will depend on driving style, the larger pack is expected to give a range of more than 30km.

Bugatti, Bugatti 110, Bugatti Baby II, Bugatti Type 35, Type 35

In addition, all owners of Baby IIs will receive membership of The Little Car Club, and be able to attend events where they, their children and their grandchildren can drive their cars at famous motor racing circuits.

Ben Hedley, CEO of the Little Car Company said: “It’s been a huge honour to be involved in this project with Bugatti. The Baby is a key part of Bugatti’s heritage, and we wanted to create something which is deserving of the name. We set out to design something which was respectful of the original but also great fun to drive, and the early feedback from customers tells us we’ve achieved that.”

Bugatti, Bugatti 110, Bugatti Baby II, Bugatti Type 35, Type 35

Of course, the first 500 have all been secured, but given that this is more accessible than the original Baby, what with being an adult-friendly 75% scale build, rather than a child only thing, it’s not at all surprising. Don’t fret though, as there is a contingency to build more, though we don’t know when. Though be warned, the Baby comes in at an eye-watering €30,000. 

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