Someone tried stealing Mate Rimac's $3M Chiron so the Bugatti CEO hopped in his Porsche 911 and chased them down
Published on Oct 30, 2026 at 5:15 AM (UTC-4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Oct 30, 2026 at 5:15 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Ben Thompson
Mate Rimac just had his $3 million Bugatti Chiron stolen right under his company’s nose in a story so absurd it feels straight out of a movie script.
The $3 million hypercar was recovered in less than a day after the thief drove it across two borders into Austria – where police finally intercepted him at a gas station.
The Chiron did sustain minor cosmetic damage during the joyride, though Rimac confirmed it will be fully restored.
And there’s at least one element of the story that’s surreal.
How it happened
Mate Rimac took to Instagram to share the news, and the video itself was surreal.
For starters, Rimac talked about this with the same tone he’d use to tell us what he’d had for dinner the night before, or how many times a year his VW Golf needs an oil change.
That’s the first element that’s crazy.
The second crazy element is how the thief managed to steal the Bugatti Chiron in the first place.
According to Rimac, the suspect was a local man who had simply walked onto the company campus near Zagreb looking for a job.
Then, he spotted Rimac’s Chiron – with the keys inside because apparently Rimac always leaves the keys inside – and simply drove away.
The thief got caught in Austria
We have no idea how and why this guy thought he could get away with it.
It took roughly an hour for the team to realize the Chiron was actually stolen, after colleagues messaged around to check if anyone had taken it for a spin.
Once CCTV footage and live Bugatti telemetry confirmed the theft, Rimac jumped behind the wheel of his Porsche 911 to pursue the car.
Within just a few hours, the thief had already sped out of Croatia, crossed Slovenia, and pushed far into Austrian territory.
But that’s where the journey ended.
The Chiron was damaged in the process
Austrian police managed to catch the guy and recover the Bugatti Chiron.
Rimac seemed pretty chill about it, and he said that he didn’t really care that the car had been damaged.
Specifically, the front bumper was bent.
“But I don’t really care. I’m just glad nobody, including this guy, got hurt,” he said.
Interestingly, Rimac doesn’t sound like he’s going to press charges.
But that actually doesn’t matter.
A formal complaint is not required to prosecute car theft in Austria, Slovenia, or Croatia.
In all three countries, vehicle theft is classified as a serious property crime and is prosecuted automatically by the state.
So this few-hour dash across these three countries at the wheel of an amazing car will probably end up costing the thief some time.
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.
