Bugatti revives its toy Baby car with a grown-up carbon fiber version
Feel like a big kid behind the wheel.
In 1922, automobile designer Ettore Bugatti wanted to create a present for his four-year-old son Roland. In a move putting him into 'best dad ever' territory, Bugatti designed the Baby: an electric half-scale model of the famous Type 35 racecar. Nearly one hundred years later, the Bugatti company is reviving the Baby concept with a scaled up version dubbed the Baby II.
The prototype of the Baby II was announced with a 3D-printed mock-up last year and the run of 500 cars sold out almost immediately. Now, the real vehicle has been unveiled in all its glory. The car comes in three versions: one with a composite body, one constructed of carbon fiber and one with a hand-crafted aluminum body.
The Baby II has been expanded from the 50 percent scale of the original to a 75 percent scale that makes it big enough for an adult to fit behind the wheel. It will have driving options for both a 4kW adult mode that goes up to 45 km/h (28 mph) and a 1kW child mode limited to 20 km/h (12 mph). Weighing just 230kg, the car comes with either a 1.4 kWh battery or a 2.8 kWh battery that should give a range of more than 30 km (19 miles).
The car will cost €30,000 (around $33,000) and production will begin at the start of next year, but it'll only be available to the lucky few who have pre-ordered already.
