This Grand Sport Vitesse was not immediately delivered to its first owner after it was built, as it was retained by Bugatti themselves for promotional purposes, more specifically to be the first Grand Sport Vitesse officially shown in the United States. Looking to show customers that they are cognizant of their past, while also simultaneously looking towards the future, the company chose to model the car’s color scheme off of a particular grand-prix-winning 1928 Type 37A that was raced by Pierre Veyron. As a result, the car was finished in a two-tone exterior scheme of white over light blue. For the interior, Cognac leather was chosen to be used in conjunction with contrasting Light Blue Sport stitching and blue carbon fiber trim. The Vitesse-specific polished-aluminum wheels were also finished in a matching light blue, further accentuating the car’s unique color scheme.

Following its completion, its first destination from the factory in Molsheim was the Monterey Peninsula, where it was displayed by Bugatti during festivities surrounding the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Also of interest, the car’s data tag lists its location of delivery as “Pebble Beach, 2012,” to commemorate the special occasion. It undoubtedly gained the most attention when it was displayed by Bugatti alongside the Type 37A from which it gained its inspiration at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering. Later that week, the car also appeared at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on the concept lawn, just a stone’s throw away from several of its ancestors. At this time, the owner negotiated with Bugatti to have it named after the California sky, and it was subsequently fitted with bespoke “Le Ciel Californien” script on the doors. The Vitesse then returned to its native France, where it was displayed once more, at the Volkswagen Group Night during the Paris Motor Show on September 26th.

Afterwards, this Grand Sport Vitesse was delivered to its first and only owner, who resides in sunny California and had purchased the car before it was unveiled at Pebble Beach. As he is an enthusiast fond of fine craftsmanship and brilliant engineering, it’s no wonder that an automobile such as this Grand Sport Vitesse quickly earned pride of place in his garage. Bugatti was still very proud of the car, and they decided to show it once more at the Qatar Motor Show in January 2013, where it garnered just as much interest as it had at Pebble Beach and Paris. Eager to test the performance capabilities of his new Vitesse, the owner took the car on a road rally to Sun Valley, Idaho, in September 2013. Owners were allowed to test the top speed of their cars, and this very car reached a top speed of 230.6 mph, resulting in a new event record that bested the previous one by 0.2 mph, which was set by Bugatti’s factory driver and former two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class-winner Butch Leitzinger, who previously drove another Grand Sport Vitesse on the same course. This was a speed the owner was no doubt comfortable with, as he had been a pilot in the Finnish Air Force earlier in his life. Recently, the car received a full service from Bugatti of San Diego, to ensure that it is fully prepared for road use by its next owner. Additionally, it is important to note that this car had extended factory warranty that was purchased by the original owner upon its delivery, which was remain in effect until May 30, 2019. The current price for such a warrantee costs approximately $255,000.