Bugatti Chiron owner and CEO Mate Rimac has long parked his cars with the keys inside, and this week a thief called that bluff. The hypercar vanished from a company building in Croatia, and the chase that followed reads like a rally stage with a police escort.
Telemetry Hunt for the Bugatti Chiron
An employee spotted the car speeding away, and a Bugatti group chat quickly confirmed nobody recognized the driver. Police were dispatched, while Rimac grabbed his own Porsche 911 and launched after it. Telemetry streamed location, fuel and speed into the chat, which turned the pursuit into something close to surgical.
Rimac, who once let a car spotter rev the Tourbillon, was not feeling trusting that morning. He faced a one-hour head start, so he went full throttle. Still, the thief had the advantage of a 1,500 HP engine.
| ⚙️Engine / Powertrain | 8.0L Quad-Turbo W16 |
| 🐎Power Output | 1,500 HP |
| ⚡Peak Torque | 1,600 Nm (1,180 lb-ft) |
| ⏱️0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) | 0-60 mph in 2.4s |
| 🚀Top Speed | 261 mph (420 km/h) |
| 🔄Drivetrain / Gearbox | 8-Speed Dual-Clutch / AWD |
| 💰Starting Price / Est. | $3.4 million (est.) |
The Chiron crossed into Austria without slowing, and its tank ran dry in the thief’s wake. He topped off half a tank at a gas station and simply drove on. Meanwhile, an Austrian officer in the group chat fed live updates to police until the car was finally stopped.
Rimac Declines Charges, but Trouble Remains
Rimac declined to press charges, feeling sorry for the Croatian thief. Even so, a car worth this much money keeps the legal trouble coming. On paper, a quick joyride ends in a fine, but in reality the W16 has a way of making consequences expensive.
Enthusiasts will likely treat this stolen Chiron as a conversation piece for decades. Expect its theft-and-recovery history to add a bizarre footnote that collectors will pay to own.
Keys Leave the Factory Floor
Rimac vowed that keys will no longer sit around the factory. Ultimately, the lesson is simple: a Bugatti Chiron is a hard car to hide, even when its telemetry is perfect. Read more from Auto News Magazine, and visit Bugatti for the official Chiron story.
Marcus Vance
Senior Track & Performance Editor at Auto News Magazine. Veteran automotive journalist specializing in chassis dynamics, apex telemetry, track-day specials, and high-revving mechanical purity.
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