Bugatti’s design director revealed the one-off cupholder made after a Chiron owner spilled their drink
- Bugatti made a custom cupholder for a Chiron owner
- The cupholder was a specific request from the owner
- It was designed by Bugatti in just a few days
Published on Feb 13, 2025 at 6:12 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Feb 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A Bugatti Chiron owner accidentally spilled her drink in her hypercar and asked the automaker to make her a custom cupholder.
Of course, Bugatti was more than happy to oblige.
The automaker’s Director of Design, Frank Heyl, designed a cupholder for the Chiron owner in just a few days.
It must be some sort of record, not only because it only took a few days, but because this must be the first cupholder designed specifically for a seven-figure hypercar.
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The reason why Bugatti designed this cupholder
Shannon Ralston, CEO of a San Antonio firm called Angel Staffing, is the Bugatti Chiron owner in question.
She accidentally spilled her ‘sticky Austrian energy drink’ at the wheel, and then took to social media to explain the situation.
In her post, she tagged just about every and any Bugatti exec she knew, including Sasha Selipanov, former Bugatti designer who recently left the company to start his own hypercar brand Nilu27.
Crucially, she also tagged Frank Heyl, the manufacturer’s Director of Design who also helped Supercar Blondie design her own Chiron.
Heyl took a couple of days to respond but, amazingly, that was just because he needed the time to design the cupholder.
When Heyl responded, he made it clear the cupholder problem had already been solved.
“Just in time for Christmas, the design is ready. If you approve this [cupholder] design, we could mock up a rapid prototyping 3D printer part and ship it over to you for a first test fitment in January on your car,” Heyl said.
A supercar owner who actually does drive her cars
Some people who buy Bugattis or other equivalent high-profile, seven-figure hypercar, generally never drive them because they treat them as assets or investments.
But Ralston does.
She owns more than one Bugatti, and tends to drive each one of them quite frequently.
That’s refreshing to hear.
With exceptions, the guy who put over 100,000 miles (!) under the tires of his Ferrari Enzo springs to mind, supercar owners tend not to drive them very much, and it’s a shame.
Ralston, evidently, is also another exception.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
