MOLSHEIM, France ([Month Day], 2026) — Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles, will formally conclude his career with the brand on October 31, 2026, after 24 years. Piochon joined in late 2001, when the first Veyron prototypes were being assembled, and leaves as Bugatti enters the Tourbillon era. Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, will succeed him as President of Bugatti Automobiles.
Piochon’s time with Bugatti has been defined by a close connection to the cars, a commitment to the brand’s historic home in Molsheim, and the relationships he built with enthusiasts, customers, partners and employees.
From the Veyron to the Tourbillon
Piochon began his Bugatti career at Volkswagen’s prototype facility, where he helped assemble the first Veyron prototypes as Bugatti Project Quality Manager. With the modern Bugatti still taking shape, he was tasked with defining the quality requirements for an entirely new kind of hypercar. He tested those standards himself over roughly 62,000 miles behind the wheel of a Bugatti, including about 37,000 miles as a test driver. Nearly 1,200 cars later, they still shape every Bugatti built in Molsheim.
“When we were developing the Veyron, we were creating many of the standards for the very first time. We had to define what Bugatti quality meant for a completely new kind of automobile. Today, it sounds easy; back then, it was a real challenge. What makes me proud today is that this philosophy is still embedded in every car we build, and it will continue into the Tourbillon era.”
– Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles
Piochon stayed close to the product throughout his career, taking part in test drives and vehicle checks. He was there for the launch of the Veyron and followed the debuts of the Chiron and every one-off and derivative that followed. By his own count, only around 40 of the hypercars that have left the Atelier did so without him personally seeing, approving or testing them. His chapter closes as the W16 era does, and he took part in assembling the last W16 engine at the factory in Salzgitter.
His milestones with the brand include the inauguration of the Atelier in 2005, Bugatti’s 100th- and 110th-anniversary celebrations, the presentation of the Chiron in Geneva in 2016, and the worldwide unveiling of the Tourbillon, “La Grande Première,” in Molsheim in June 2024. When Bugatti Rimac was formed in 2021, Piochon was named President of Bugatti Automobiles and Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti Rimac, and he helped prepare both the team and Molsheim for the next generation.
Building Molsheim
After serving as Bugatti Quality Director and later spending a period in Dresden, Piochon returned to Molsheim in 2013 as Managing Director for Production and Logistics and Site Director. At the time, around 70 people worked at the site. Today, that number approaches 200. Molsheim has grown with the brand, adding new offices in 2024 and inaugurating La Manufacture in June 2026, which was built to take on Tourbillon production.
Piochon’s role also reached well beyond the Bugatti site. He strengthened ties between the brand and local institutions and with Enthousiastes Bugatti Alsace, of which he has long been an honorary member. He also supported local charities, including Semeurs d’Étoiles, which cares for hospitalized children and supports their parents, and the local food bank, Banque Alimentaire du Bas-Rhin.
The People Behind the Cars
Piochon counts the people of Bugatti among the achievements he is most proud of. Over more than two decades he worked alongside every President of the modern Bugatti era, and he remains in regular contact with most of them, while building a strong and confident team in Molsheim.
“The cars are extraordinary, but what I will remember most are the people behind them. We have built a team in Molsheim that understands what the Bugatti name demands and takes enormous pride in delivering it. Knowing that this team will carry those values into the future means a great deal to me.”
– Christophe Piochon
“Christophe has been part of the modern Bugatti story almost from its beginning. His influence can be seen in the standards behind our cars, in the evolution of Molsheim and, most importantly, in the team and culture he built. I am deeply grateful for everything he has achieved, and his contribution will remain part of Bugatti for many years to come.”
– Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac and future President of Bugatti Automobiles
A Full Order Book
Piochon leaves with Bugatti’s production plan full until 2030.
“In 1998, no one knew about Bugatti; everyone had forgotten about it. Today, it is a brand with a worldwide reputation, thanks to our heritage, our products and the savoir-faire of our teams. We have invested in our teams, and in the craftsmanship and attention to detail that make Bugatti inimitable. We have also invested in our premises with new offices and the brand-new Atelier: the foundations for Bugatti’s future are firmly in place. Our production plan is full until 2030. Mate Rimac and the new leadership team have a unique gem in their hands, and I know they will take good care of it and make sure to honor the brand’s inimitable legacy.”
– Christophe Piochon
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.