The French media announced that Mate Rimacthe founder of Rimac Automobil and today the chairman of the board of the company Bugatti Rimac, started negotiations with the German Porsche about taking over full ownership of the legendary French brand. There has been speculation about this for some time, but some information is now becoming clearer. The current ownership structure was established in 2021 and is roughly divided between Rimac (55%) and Porsche (45%). According to available information, the value of the joint venture is estimated at around one billion dollars.
The reason for these negotiations are the significant financial challenges that Porsche faced during 2025. The German manufacturer saw a big drop in profits, attributed to restructuring costs, investments in battery technology and increased US tariffs. This development paved the way for Rimac to gain control over Bugatti, which could bring historic changes to the brand’s production process and practically move the brand to our country.
Moving to the surroundings of Zagreb
The main point of potential change concerns the new Tourbillon model, Bugatti’s upcoming hypercar. Although the company has so far invested 10 million euros in the expansion of its historic plant “L’Atelier” in Molsheim, the management has already indicated to the employees the possibility of moving parts of the production to the modern Rimac Campus in Kerestinac near Zagreb, where that car is already being developed by engineering.
Plans predict that as early as this year, the mechanical assemblies and chassis for the Tourbillon could be produced in Croatia. Final assembly and interior decoration would still be done in France, but employees in Molsheim express concern that this is only the first step towards a complete relocation of production.
Official confirmation from Bugatti
The Bugatti company confirmed that they are examining the possibility of using ultra-modern facilities in Zagreb, where the Bugatti Rimac development teams are already located. The goal, according to official statements, is to achieve a balance between production efficiency and the superior craftsmanship for which Molsheim is known. They emphasize that the final decision has not yet been made and that the expertise of the team in France remains key to the brand’s identity.
Despite the rumors about the move, Bugatti points out that 2025 was a record year for the number of vehicles delivered and that in the future they plan to increase sales by an additional 50%. The company claims this will lead to an increase in the number of employees in Molsheim, which it continues to call the “spiritual and operational cradle of Bugatti”. Nevertheless, the entry into the Croatian campus marks a new chapter in which the facility close to Zagreb could play a primary role.