Bugatti rules out SUV

An SUV would not do justice to the brand or its history, Bugatti's CEO argues.

We've heard -- and written about -- rumors of a Bugatti-badged SUV for at least a decade. At times, the French company seemingly hinted it would follow other high-end car brands into the off-roader segment, but its chief executive has categorically ruled out the development of a high-riding model.

"There will be no SUV from Bugatti," wrote CEO Stephan Winkelmann in a statement. He added that the time would be right to enter the segment, but putting the Bugatti badge on an SUV would "not do justice to the brand or its history."

Case closed -- at least for now. We remember when Rolls-Royce and Ferrari came to a similar conclusion regarding a high-riding model, and both buckled under pressure from buyers, investors, and competitors.

Bugatti celebrates its 110th birthday in 2019, and Winkelmann promised the brand has a few surprises in store to mark the occasion. He stopped short of revealing what the company has planned, but he pointed out that the limited-edition Divo (pictured) unveiled in 2018 has attracted considerable interest from buyers. Reading between the lines suggests we'll see more coachbuilt cars in 2019.

While an SUV is off the table, Bugatti has previously expressed its desire to expand within the realm it currently operates in. It already ruled out a convertible version of the Chiron, but it has remained quiet about the long-rumored sedan it loosely previewed with the 16C Galibier concept.