Invite-only releases just add to the strain, unfortunately.
and others keep their models exclusive even as those vehicles become attainable for an increasingly large pool of buyers. But the sheer force of demand has grown to the point where cracks are starting to show, with more collectors wondering why they were left off RSVP lists for invite-only releases and others complaining of arrivistes receiving unearned favoritism.
Recently, a few marques have been more willing to pull back the curtain on their decision-making, if only a little. Bugatti made clear that its newwould be available only to current Chiron owners—though, with 500 Chiron examples in the world against the Mistral’s announced 99-vehicle cap, that hardly sorted the list. Which VIPs got the tap and which just missed the cut was the subject of “tough” client discussions, according to Cedric Davy, COO for Bugatti of the Americas.
Still, that same Southern collector thinks the Italian brand makes its preferences known even without annunciating them. “It’s a simple system,” he says. “You bought almost every model that came out over a span of years, you probably race in the Challenge series, you attend the annual events and you don’t flip the cars. If you have the means and are loyal to the brand, you may be rewarded.