Being rich enough to own a Bugatti Veyron doesn’t necessarily mean you enjoy the $42,000 tire bills that come with it. So more than 20 years after the hypercar arrived, Bugatti has developed larger factory wheels allowing owners to ditch its famously expensive Michelin PAX rubber and switch to modern tires costing less than a tenth as much.
The solution comes from Bugatti’s La Maison Pur Sang restoration and certification division, which has created new 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. They reinterpret the Veyron’s original Machiavelli design, so owners get modern tire compatibility without making their multimillion-dollar hypercar look like it raided a tacky aftermarket catalog.
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Better still, the new setup uses the exact same tire dimensions as the Chiron, specifically 285/30 ZR20 fronts and 355/25 ZR21 rears. Bugatti fits Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber developed for its cars, the same tire family used on hypercars such as the Chiron Super Sport and W16 Mistral.
Those cars cost even more than the Veyron did when new, but their tires are a heck of a lot more affordable, as Jalopnik explains. Tire Rack currently lists Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires in those Mistral sizes at $3,595.96 per set before its current rebate. That isn’t exactly Corolla money, but compared with a reported $42,000 for replacement Veyron PAX rubber, it practically qualifies as bargain territory.
You’ll Need New Wheels, But Only Once
There is a catch, though. Owners first need Bugatti’s newly developed wheels, and the company hasn’t revealed what they cost. Given the badge attached, we’re confidently predicting “not cheap.” But the wheels should be a one-time expense – whereas Veyron owners originally had to plan for new wheels every few tire changes to guarantee safety at 260+ mph (418 km/h). And reports say that pushed the total bill for new boots to over $150,000.
Spot The Difference?
The picture below shows a Veyron on the original PAX wheels at the top of the frame and one in the lower part of the image wearing the new rims. They look like a great option for owners who want to preserve the OEM look, and maybe even a little more elegant to our eyes.
The value-conscious rims debuted at Monterey Car Week on the one-off La Maison Pur Sang Veyron 20 Years, which demonstrates how extensively Bugatti can now recommission its aging hypercar without ruining the core Veyron character. This example combines Rouge Rembrandt paint from the Tourbillon palette with Chiron-sourced Petrol Blue and a Magnolia leather cabin.
There’s also redesigned three-dimensional intake mesh, special Mocassin stitching and a Côte de Genève finish for the center console. Bugatti has even launched a configurator giving Veyron owners access to selected personalization options.