Croatian delight: Bugatti belongs to Rimac now
A reshuffle at Volkswagen is cause for celebration among Croatian commentators. The luxury brand Bugatti will no longer be made by the parent company but by a joint venture between subsidiaries Porsche and Rimac Automobili. Founded in 2009 and based near Zagreb, Rimac builds electric sports cars, and Porsche has a 24 percent share in the company.
Ultimate sign of trust
It is noteworthy that Volkswagen is entrusting a traditional brand like Bugatti to a young Croatian business, Jutarnji list observes:
“Basically, this shows that for the Germans the 100-year-old Bugatti business is worth less than the startup Rimac, which only very recently introduced its second model - and the first one intended for serial production. The Germans are assuming that the company will achieve better results when it is entrusted with managing and developing Bugatti on its own. This is a huge compliment. ... Rimac has shown phenomenal creativity to date. ... Now it has to prove itself in a less attractive discipline: turnaround management.”
Time to open the door
Večernji list wonders what consequences the takeover will have for Croatian industry:
“It will probably not generate thousands of new jobs, as would be the case if a large volume manufacturer were to build a factory in Croatia. Because Bugatti and Rimac Automobili are the kind of manufacturers that make less than 100 cars a year. ... It will put Croatia in a better position on the world map of car parts manufacturers. ... And [Volkswagen's decision] could perhaps open the door to bigger foreign investors, but our leaders will have to make sure they unlock that door first, as they have done in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia. ”