An exclusive agreement has been signed by Bugatti Rimac for Volkswagen Group of America to import and distribute vehicles in the U.S. market for Bugatti and Rimac branded models.
Pablo Di Si, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, Christophe Piochon, COO of Bugatti Rimac, and Bugatti Rimac Commercial Director, Hendrik Malinowski signed the agreement during Monterey Car Week.
The deal cements Volkswagen’s lineup of cars from the humblest Jetta to the priciest Rimac and Bugatti hypercars. Bugatti Rimac manufactures and sells cars such as the Rimac Nevera and Bugatti Chiron Super Sport.
“We’re thrilled to continue distributing Bugatti vehicles through our newly signed agreements,” said Pablo Di Si, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, in a statement.
“Our distribution network has long provided the support and expertise necessary to provide the highest quality experience for our customers. We’re also excited that we will import and distribute Rimac models through this collaboration, providing even more variety for our customers.”
Old hands and a new deal
The deal comes more than two years after Croatian EV upstart Rimac nabbed a 55% stake in French supercar company Bugatti from the Volkswagen Group, with Porsche retaining a 45% stake in Bugatti.
The Croatian company, now known as Bugatti Rimac, was founded in 2009, and has a reputation for producing high-performance battery-electric vehicles, as well as its expertise in continuing to build Bugatti hypercars, which dates from 1998 when Volkswagen Group revived the Bugatti brand. The automaker was established in 1909 in Molsheim, France by Ettore Bugatti, continuing until it closed its doors in 1952 after a long decline.
Given Bugatti Rimac’s small size, it’s little surprise the automaker would seek a more-experienced partner for its U.S. sales network.
“For both the Bugatti and Rimac brands, the U.S. is the strongest single market in the world, so it’s important that we curate a sales and ownership experience befitting the extraordinary cars that we’re delivering to customers,” said Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac.
“The alignment and cooperation with Volkswagen Group of America will allow a new dealer network in the States to evolve with the enormous experience and resources available to them, allowing us to combine all the best bits of a mass-market sales operation with the bespoke, customer-centric special touches that have become a hallmark of both Bugatti and Rimac brands.”
Neither Rimac nor Volkswagen disclosed what the new agreement means to Rimac’s existing U.S. dealers.