There’s mounting evidence one would have to have a screw loose to pay $3 million for a new set of wheels.
Bugatti, the French supercar maker, just notified US safety regulators it’s recalling the 2018 Chiron -- “a single one” -- to inspect screws that fasten the front frame. Loose support could compromise the structural protection of the 1,500-horsepower vehicle and increase the risk of injury in a crash, the manufacturer told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A Bugatti dealer will have a look and put a screwdriver -- “or maybe a wrench?” -- to use, if needed.
The recall is taking place in pretty rarefied air. Bugatti only sells about 80 vehicles a year worldwide. And while NHTSA sees an average of about 650 recalls involving 25 million cars annually, it’s quite unusual for an action to involve one vehicle at a time.
When those single-vehicle recalls do happen, loose screws or bolts are a common culprit. Jaguar Land Rover once recalled one 2020 I-Pace for missing front-seat fasteners. Mercedes-Benz did the same for a lone 2020 GLE 350. And Lamborghini called back a 2021 Aventador SVJ Roadster because improperly tightened screws on a heat exchanger could cause an oil line to detach from the $574,000 vehicle.
All of which goes to show that even assemblers of the most bespoke and expensive vehicles in the world sometimes overlook one of the most important principles of car-making, let alone everyday life: righty-tighty, lefty-loosy.
