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Mate Rimac, head of Bugatti Rimac and president of Bugatti and the Rimac Group, used an Instagram video to urge European automakers to compete through distinctive luxury and real materials, rather than matching Chinese rivals on screens and charging speed. His remarks are an argument about strategy, not an announced change in policy, and the business case for serving narrower markets remains disputed.
Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac and president of Bugatti and the Rimac Group, has urged European carmakers to stop trying to match Chinese competitors on features such as large screens and faster charging, and instead build a stronger identity around luxury and real materials. In a video posted to Instagram, he framed that approach as a way for European brands to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive market.
Rimac said European automakers were spending tens or hundreds of millions on consultants to respond to the industry’s problems. He argued that copying features where Chinese manufacturers are difficult to beat would be the wrong strategy. The source report does not identify which companies or consulting contracts he meant, and his figures are part of his remarks rather than independently verified estimates.
Instead, Rimac pointed to the interior of a vintage Rolls-Royce in the video, gesturing toward its cabin as an example of the tactile materials and craftsmanship he believes European brands should prioritize. He called for leather and other “real materials,” and suggested that carmakers should preserve physical controls rather than making screens the defining feature of vehicle interiors.
His broader argument was that manufacturers should seek a recognizable niche, even if that means not trying to build a car for every buyer. Rimac compared the idea to Swiss watchmaking, saying the industry makes 5% of the world’s watches but earns 90% of watchmaking profits. Those figures were presented by Rimac as an analogy in his speech; the source material does not independently verify them or establish that the same economics would apply to cars.
Rimac’s comments speak to a strategic choice facing European brands: compete directly on fast-moving technology and price, or lean more heavily on design, craftsmanship and a distinct brand identity. The argument matters because screens, digital interfaces and charging performance have become visible points of comparison for buyers, while high-end marques also depend on perceived quality and a recognizable ownership experience.
The proposal is not a straightforward prescription for mass-market manufacturers. The Drive’s report noted that companies such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi sell vehicles across multiple price ranges, and cannot necessarily rely on sales of their most expensive models alone. It also pointed to Porsche’s Cayenne as an example of a broader-market model contributing to the company’s business. Those considerations underline the tension in Rimac’s position: a distinctive premium niche may support strong margins, but a narrower product range can limit the number of customers a company serves.
His comments are especially relevant as an expression of one senior automotive executive’s view, not evidence that European brands are adopting the strategy. They add to discussion about whether technology features alone can set vehicles apart, and what manufacturers risk losing if digital displays displace physical materials and controls.
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Rimac’s Case for Brand Differentiation
Rimac is a Croatian automotive entrepreneur who leads Bugatti Rimac as CEO and serves as president of Bugatti and the Rimac Group, according to The Drive’s report. His positions give him a prominent role in the premium and performance-car sector, though his comments were made in a personal Instagram video and were not presented as a formal company announcement.
The video addresses European carmakers’ response to competition from China. Rimac described Chinese manufacturers as difficult to beat on measures such as screen size and charging speed, and argued that European companies should avoid simply pursuing the same benchmarks. The source report’s headline frames this as a call to focus on luxury rather than China; in the video, his specific point is that European companies should not copy competitors’ feature priorities and should instead emphasize what he sees as their own strengths.
The report also cautioned that the call to focus on a narrower luxury niche may be difficult for large automakers whose sales depend on a broad lineup. That tension is central to understanding the remarks: Rimac’s proposal is a competitive philosophy, while the commercial realities of different brands and customer segments vary.
“What you should not do is try to do what everyone else is doing and what the Chinese are very hard to beat at; the biggest screens, less buttons, faster recharge times.”
— Mate Rimac, in an Instagram video, as quoted by The Drive
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No Company Strategy Announced
The video records Rimac’s opinion; it does not announce a change in Bugatti Rimac’s product plans or establish that other European automakers will respond. The source material does not give the video’s exact posting date, name the companies Rimac was referring to, or document the consulting spending he cited.
It is also unclear how broadly his proposed approach could apply. His example comes from a vintage Rolls-Royce cabin, but the remarks do not set out how manufacturers with different price points, customer bases and production volumes could adopt similar priorities. The watchmaking figures in his analogy are likewise not independently checked in the report.
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Whether Carmakers Respond
No follow-up from the named automakers is included in the source report, and it does not describe any planned response from Bugatti Rimac. The next relevant developments would be statements from the companies Rimac criticized, or product and design decisions showing whether European manufacturers place greater emphasis on physical controls, cabin materials or a more focused luxury identity.
Until such decisions are announced, the video remains a public argument about competitive strategy rather than a confirmed industry shift. Readers should distinguish Rimac’s recommendations from verified plans by individual carmakers.
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Key Questions
What did Mate Rimac say European carmakers should do?
He urged them to compete through luxury, craftsmanship and real materials, rather than trying to match rivals on large screens, fewer buttons and faster charging.
Was this an official Bugatti Rimac policy announcement?
No. The source describes a personal Instagram video in which Rimac offered his views. It does not report a new company policy or product plan.
Which automakers was Rimac criticizing?
He referred broadly to European automakers. The Drive suggested he may have meant brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, but the video excerpt does not provide a definitive list.
Why did Rimac bring up Swiss watchmaking?
He used it as an example of an industry focused on a distinct niche. Rimac cited figures of 5% of watches and 90% of profits; the source does not independently verify those numbers or show that the same model would work for carmakers.
Have European automakers said they will follow his advice?
The source material reports no response or commitment from the automakers discussed. It is not yet clear whether any company will change its design or product strategy in response.
Source: rss
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