The Badass Bugattis of Sunset GT
The latest SoCal event featured some of the most amazing Bugattis in the world. And many are part of the same incredible collection!
For lovers of all things exotic cars, this month’s Sunset GT gathering was a veritable gold mine. Celebrating its first year of existence, the Sunset Strip-based car show went all out with everything from a Batmobile Lamborghini Aventador to a Lamborghini Centenario. But the latter, one of only 40 built, wasn’t even the rarest car in attendance. That distinction belonged to the one-of-one Bugatti Vision GT concept owned by American businessman Hezy Shaked.
The founder of fashion retailer Tilly’s became the second owner of the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show star after purchasing it from a Saudi Arabian collector. But in reality, it’s just another piece in Shaked’s amazing automotive collection. The Vision GT was joined by the very first Bugatti Chiron and Lamborghini Centenario Roadster sold in the U.S., along with a Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1.
And that isn’t all, either. The Los Angeles resident also owns a red and black Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse dubbed HellBug. And unlike most every Bugatti Veyron in existence, this one’s actually been used as designed. In fact, at the 2015 Sun Valley Road Rally in Idaho, Shaked came pretty darn close to reaching the car’s 255 mph top speed with a 235.7 mph run.
With such an affinity for Bugatti, it’s no surprise that Shaked was also able to nab the first Chiron in the U.S. The yellow and black beast is one of 500 planned for production. This one sporting a price tag of $2.98 million. Given the color combo, it should also come as no surprise that Shaked named his latest acquisition HellBee. No word on whether or not he plans on testing the limits of his latest ride at Sun Valley. But we wouldn’t be surprised to see it there.
So just how, you’re wondering, does one man amass such an impressive collection of incredibly rare rides? Well, like many successful businessmen, the Israeli-born Shaked comes from humble beginnings. His first job was in a garage, and he lived under a staircase at the time. Determined to provide a better life for himself and his family, Shaked started selling clothes at an Orange County swap meet way back in 1982.
Things went well, and before long, Shaked was able to open his first retail store in Los Alamitos, California. Fast forward 30 years later, and he had amassed 168 action sports stores. The company went public in 2012. Their intentions were/are to use that capital as a means of expanding to 500 locations. According to the savvy businessman, the Tilly’s has never borrowed money and has posted a profit in each year of its existence.
Shaked could easily throw his own Bugatti shindig with his impressive collection. But several other Chirons and Veyrons flanked his amazing cars, too. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We spotted more incredible supercars at this month’s Sunset GT than we’ve ever seen in one singular gathering. So, if you’re going to be around L.A. the second Sunday of any month, you’ll want to check it out!
Photos for Team Speed by David M. Ciminelli
Join the TeamSpeed forums now!
