You’ve seen the clip. A copper-colored hypercar glides through a Dubai hotel driveway, only to let out a soul-crushing scrape as it hits a speed bump. It’s painful to watch. That car is the Andrew Tate Bugatti Chiron, or more specifically, a Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. It is arguably the most famous piece of metal on the internet, not because of its 1,500-horsepower W16 engine, but because it became the primary weapon in a massive online cultural war.
Most people think it’s just a flashy car. It isn't. It’s a symbol. It’s the centerpiece of a "What color is your Bugatti?" meme that defined a specific era of the manosphere. But between the Romanian police raids and the viral Twitter spats, the actual story of this car is a lot weirder—and more complicated—than most realize.
The "What Color Is Your Bugatti?" Origins
The phrase didn't just appear out of thin air. It was coined back in early 2022. Andrew Tate was filming with YouTuber Mike Thurston, showing off his brand-new toy. People were hating on the color choice. Honestly, copper is a polarizing pick for a $5 million car. Tate’s response was a rhetorical slap: "What color is your Bugatti?"
It was a brilliant, if arrogant, marketing move. It shut down criticism by highlighting the massive wealth gap between the speaker and the critic. Soon, millions of teenage boys were typing that exact phrase into TikTok comment sections whenever someone disagreed with Tate’s "Top G" philosophy. The car became a literal badge of his "Matrix-breaking" success.
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The Specs: It’s Not a "Standard" Chiron
Let’s get technical for a second because the Pur Sport isn't just a base model with a fancy paint job. Bugatti only built 60 of these. Tate’s car is number 18.
Unlike the standard Chiron, which is built for raw top speed, the Pur Sport is a "handling" car. It has a massive fixed rear wing rather than the active one that pops up and down. The gear ratios are 15% shorter. This means it accelerates like a demon but "only" hits 217 mph, whereas a Super Sport might push past 270 mph.
- Engine: 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16
- Power: 1,500 hp / 1,180 lb-ft of torque
- 0-62 mph: 2.3 seconds
- Price: Roughly $5.2 million (depending on the exchange rate and taxes)
The color is officially a metallic copper, which Tate famously described with a string of adjectives including "Top G" and "self-made copper." The interior is Beluga Black leather with matching copper stitching to keep the theme consistent.
The Great Romanian Seizure
In early 2023, things got messy. Following Tate’s arrest in Bucharest on charges of human trafficking and organized crime, the Romanian authorities (DIICOT) swooped in. They didn't just take his watches; they hauled away a fleet of supercars.
There was a lot of confusion online. People were posting photos of a blue Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini being towed, asking, "Where is the Bugatti?"
For a long time, the copper Chiron was MIA. It turns out the car was actually in Dubai at the time of the initial raids. This led to a year of speculation. Some thought it was hidden; others thought it was sold. In reality, because the car was registered in the UAE and physically located there, the Romanian government couldn't easily lay hands on it. However, as the legal battle dragged on, the car eventually became a focal point for asset recovery efforts.
Did He Get It Back?
By mid-2025, the narrative shifted again. Tate was spotted back in Dubai, driving the exact same copper Pur Sport. This sparked a "he won" narrative among his fans, suggesting the legal troubles were over.
It’s not that simple. Asset seizures in international law are a nightmare. While he has been seen driving the car in 2025 and 2026, the legal status of his total "33-car collection" remains a tangled web of Romanian court appeals and international jurisdictions. He didn't necessarily "win it back" through a court ruling as much as he simply maintained possession of the assets that were never physically in Romania to begin with.
The Greta Thunberg Connection
We can't talk about the Andrew Tate Bugatti Chiron without mentioning the tweet heard 'round the world. In late 2022, Tate tagged climate activist Greta Thunberg, bragging about the "enormous emissions" of his car collection, specifically the Chiron.
Greta’s reply—the "small dick energy" tweet—became one of the most-liked posts in Twitter history. Shortly after that exchange, Tate was arrested. Internet lore falsely claimed a pizza box in a response video gave away his location to the police. (The Romanian police later clarified that the pizza box had nothing to do with it, but the legend persists.)
Why the Copper Bugatti Still Matters
The car is a masterclass in personal branding. Even if you hate the guy, you know the car. It represents a shift in how influencers use high-value assets. It wasn't just a car; it was a prop for a lifestyle brand that sold "Hustler’s University" (now The Real World) subscriptions to millions.
When he scrapes the bottom of that car on a Dubai speed bump, it’s a rare moment where the "flawless" image cracks. It reminds everyone that even a $5 million masterpiece is just a hunk of metal subject to the laws of physics—and poor driveway design.
What You Can Do Next
If you're tracking the value or status of high-end hypercars like the Chiron, keep an eye on the RM Sotheby’s or duPont Registry listings. Even "infamous" cars like this one eventually hit the secondary market.
- Monitor the Legal Filings: Follow the updates from the Bucharest Court of Appeal if you want the real story on the asset seizures, rather than TikTok rumors.
- Study the Specs: If you're a car nerd, look into the Bugatti Tourbillon, the successor to the Chiron. It ditches the quad-turbo for a naturally aspirated V16 and a hybrid system—a massive shift in engineering.
- Verify the History: Use VIN tracking services for luxury cars if you are ever in a position to buy a high-end exotic; a "seizure history" or "legal encumbrance" can tank a car's resale value, no matter who owned it.
The story of the copper Bugatti is far from over, as legal proceedings in Eastern Europe continue to fluctuate. But for now, it remains the most recognizable car in the world—for better or worse.