ZAGREB, 27 Nov, 2021 - Rimac Automobili owner Mate Rimac said on Facebook on Saturday that a group of young man physically attacked his foreign colleagues in the centre of Zagreb last night and police confirmed being notified about the attack.

"Is it possible that this happened in Zagreb?! I'm shocked and sad," Rimac said in a post.

He said he spoke to the victims and that they said they had seen a group of young men shouting "Go back to where you came from. What the f'uck are you doing in Croatia" as well as swearing.

"Our employees tried to avoid a conflict, they crossed the street and hurried, but the attackers caught up with them and started a physical showdown," wrote Rimac.

He said the group attacked five or six Rimac Automobili employees near the Croatian National Theatre, adding that one person had their nose broken and that another had a milder concussion.

Rimac said one of the things his company always underlined to the candidates they attracted from all over the world was that Croatia was a safe country where foreigners were not looked upon as second-rank citizens.

"This is a single incident by a group of uneducated idiots who, I hope, won't change the perception of the foreigners who came to build their lives in Croatia. I hope the police will do their job promptly and efficiently and that we will all realise how much the foreigners who come to live here contribute to the development of society and the economy," wrote Rimac.

Zagreb police told Hina they were notified about a physical clash between a number of persons around half past midnight. They could not confirm they were employees of a company because they did not have that information nor say how many persons were involved in the clash. A criminal investigation is under way.

For Croatia's latest news updates, CLICK HERE.

November 25, 2021 - As part of a busy schedule on his first official visit to Croatia, French President Emmanuel Macron met Mate Rimac in Zagreb, and was introduced to the recently merged Bugatti Rimac, a notorious union between France and Croatia.

After meeting President Milanović and signing the agreement for the sale of 12 Rafale fighter jets, the French president continued with the rest of the activities scheduled for his official visit to Croatia. Along with Andrej Plenković, Emmanuel Macron met Mate Rimac in Zagreb.

As Jutarnji List reports, shortly after 1 p.m., Rimac Group CEO Mate Rimac and Bugatti Rimac Chief Operating Officer Christophe Pichon presented two Nevera and Bugatti cars on the terrace of the Esplanade Hotel to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Emmanuel Macron.

By the way, Bugatti is a French company that recently moved to Zagreb, since they were taken over by the Croatian manufacturer of electric hypercars Mate Rimac.

''It is already somewhat common that the Croatian Government likes to show foreign guests what we are advanced in, so I am glad that they chose us. Especially because we have a lot of employees in France as well'', said Mate Rimac.

The French leader was greeted at the entrance to the Zagreb hotel by the Alkars of Sinj.

''This shows the cooperation between France and Croatia'', said Rimac.

''Bugatti has a 112-year history in Molsheim, France, and we make the fastest petrol cars there, and we make the fastest electric cars in the world here in Zagreb. So it made sense to connect the two'', he added.

Macron and Plenković toured Bugatti's Chiron, a car with more than 1,600 horsepower that is the fastest in the world with a speed of 490 kilometers, and Rimčev Nevera, the car with the fastest acceleration in the world.

President Macron will end his official visit to Croatia with a working lunch at the Esplanade hosted by Prime Minister Plenković, which will be attended by people from the public, economic, cultural, scientific, and sports life that connect Croatia and France.

The coach of all the coaches also arrived for lunch.

''I am not only happy to be here, but also proud and I think that all Croats should be proud because this is one of the greatest European politicians. I hope to talk to him about women'', said Miroslav Ciro Blazevic.

Zlatko Dalic did not want to comment on anything, so Ciro added: "That's because he is an athlete, not a politician."

After lunch, Macron travels to Rome, on official visits to Italy and the Vatican.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November 2, 2021 - Rimac Automobili today officially joins forces with Bugatti under the recently announced company Bugatti Rimac d.o.o., the company announced.

The new company joins the forces of Rimac and Bugatti, which together continue with breakthroughs in the automotive and technology industries. Establishing the new company, which unites the two brands, is supported by the sports car manufacturer Porsche AG and one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, as well as the current owner of Bugatti - Volkswagen AG, reports Index.hr.

"After a short but turbulent 10-year history of Rimac Automobili since its inception in the garage, we come to the next big step for the company - merging with Bugatti into the newly established company Bugatti Rimac, which becomes part of the Rimac Group," the statement said.

Rimac Group will be the largest shareholder of Bugatti Rimac with a 55 percent stake.

Mate Rimac will retain his stake in the Rimac Group at 35%, Porsche at 22%, Hyundai Motor Group at 11%, and other investors at 32%. The development and production of battery systems, powertrains, and other components for high-performance electric vehicles, for which Rimac is known and trusted by many car manufacturers, will be separated into a new unit - Rimac Technology, which will be 100% owned by the Rimac Group.

"Bugatti Rimac combines the uniqueness of two automotive and technology pioneers. Rimac Automobili's entrepreneurial approach and technical expertise, and innovations in high-performance electric vehicles, together with Bugatti's 112-year legacy in design and engineering and the production of some of the world's most famous hypercars, are now combined. Porsche will act as a strategic partner and appoint two members of the Supervisory Board: Oliver Blume, President of Porsche AG, and Lutz Meschke, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Porsche AG.

Mate Rimac's previous leadership and strategic direction, which led to Rimac Automobili becoming a significant player in the high-performance electric car industry, highlights him as an ideal candidate to lead the new company as CEO. As CEO of the Rimac Group, Mate Rimac will lead both Bugatti Rimac and the new division, Rimac Technology."

The global headquarters of Bugatti Rimac is located in the current headquarters of Rimac Automobil in Sveta Nedelja, on the outskirts of Zagreb. Still, in time it will move to the recently announced Rimac Campus, also to be home to Rimac Technology, worth more than 200 million euros, on 200,000 m2, under construction in Sveta Nedelja. 

Joint research and development of future Rimac Automobili and Bugatti hypercars will ultimately occur at the Rimac Campus - which is scheduled to open in 2023. As part of the new company, Bugatti Rimac will start operating with 435 employees, of which 300 will be based in Sveta Nedelja and 135 in Molsheim, France.

In addition, 180 people at the Bugatti Engineering site in Wolfsburg will support the new company, which will be integrated into the Bugatti Rimac office in Germany. Rimac Technology will have over 900 employees. Rimac Group will thus consist of more than 1300 workers at various locations.

Bugatti Rimac's new Board of Directors appoints Christophe Piochon as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He previously served as General Manager at Bugatti and guarantees the continuation of operations at the Molsheim plant. Larissa Fleischer becomes CFO. Previously, she was the head of control at Porsche in digitalization and the development of new business models. In addition, Emilio Scervo has been appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and previously held the same position at Rimac Automobiles, where he joined after a prosperous career as technical director at Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes AMG, and Ferrari.

Rimac Automobili and Bugatti will continue to operate as separate brands and manufacturers, retaining their production facilities in Zagreb and Molsheim and distribution channels.

Rimac Technology will continue to innovate, developing vehicle systems and technologies for many global car manufacturers, with the application of the technology in future Bugatti and Rimac models as well.

Commenting on the first day of Bugatti Rimac's business, Mate Rimac, CEO, says:

“I am honored to be leading this new fusion of automotive minds and begin what will no doubt be a successful, revolutionary and exciting new chapter for everyone involved. I am also extremely curious to oversee the profound impact Bugatti Rimac will have on the industry, and I look forward to developing innovative new hypercars and technologies.”

“It’s difficult to find a better match than Rimac and Bugatti. What each party brings to the table in terms of technical expertise, know-how and automotive history makes for an electrifying recipe. Rimac’s fast-paced operations and electrification skills are the perfect complement to Bugatti’s exceptional heritage and craftmanship. Stay tuned for some truly extraordinary projects in the future.”

“I am convinced that we have found the right mix of experience and know-how, innovative strength and team spirit for the management,” says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and member of the board for Finance and IT at Porsche AG. “That’s why I’m very optimistic. And because the project is very close to my heart, I will continue to accompany it closely and passionately in the future.”

Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management at Porsche, names this merger as “the perfect solution” for everyone involved: “Together, we are creating a high-performance automotive company. We have succeeded in positioning the traditional Bugatti brand with its charisma for the future in a way that creates value. Bugatti embodies fascination and passion, and Rimac has great innovative strength and tech expertise.” 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

October the 10th, 2021 - Things are going full steam ahead at the construction site of the brand new Rimac Campus in Kerestinec, with works moving quickly and anticipations running high.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the village of Kerestinec, which lies just west of Zagreb, is the site of the up and coming new Rimac Campus which Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac decided on building not so long ago.

This massive project which will also become the new headquarters of the much loved Croatian company Rimac Automobili plans to have a kindergarten, organic food production, and even accommodation capsules instead of a classic hotel. It should all be over by 2023.

''The new complex will be a base for research, development and production, and will enable the company to grow from the production of prototypes and projects in small series to large-scale production of high-performance electric powertrains and battery systems for many global automotive companies.

The new location, based on the idea of ​​creating the best possible working environment for our employees from all over the world, is located just a few kilometres from the current headquarters of Rimac Automobili (also in Sveta Nedelja) and is located on a plot which spans 200,000 m2, while the area built on will reach about 100,000 m2.

The new Rimac Campus is expected to be completed by 2023,'' they stated from the company. They added that Mate Rimac wanted the new headquarters of his company to embody not only the character of the brand but also the character of the employees.

''The architects of this project drew their inspiration for the design of the new Rimac Campus from several sources, including the shape and movement of Rimac's own hypercar - the famous C_Two, as well as the speed itself,'' they described from Rimac Automobili.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Made in Croatia section.

ZAGREB, 1 Oct 2021 - Croatia's exhibition at the EXPO 2020 in Dubai from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 will be presented as an inspiration to great minds which is based on the EXPO's main theme "Connecting minds, creating the future," the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) said on Friday.

EXPO 2020 Dubai will attract 190 countries, including Croatia, whose pavilion has been named "Croatia Inspiring Great Minds."

During the six months that EXPO 2020 will run, it expects about 25 million people from around the world to visit, including business people as well as government representatives, as well as many virtual visitors, with the organisers expecting more than 3 billion people to see the exhibition.

HTZ underscored that Croatia's exhibition will be interesting and it will present various innovative projects, inventions and creative individuals because, "thanks to many advanced minds, Croatia is recognised in the world today for numerous achievements."

Croatia's exhibit will present genius minds like Nikola Tesla, Ruđer Bošković and Slavoljub Penkala, who left a significant trace on the world's future. The exhibit will also include the Rimac Nevera, the fastest electric car in the world.

Apart from science, Croatia will present itself as a sports nation with renowned athletes like Dražen Petrović, Janica and Ivica Kostelić, Luka Modrić and many others.

Visitors will be able to become familiar with Croatia through multi-media projections and virtual experiences, including travelling through all of Croatia's natural beauties and its cultural heritage.

The creative concept for Croatia's pavilion at EXPO 2020 was created by the Real Group, Architect Ante Vrban and the Morium company.

For more news on business,CLICK HERE.

September 20, 2021 - Fancy owning a Rimac Nevera, but a few dollars short of the asking price? Help create the budget version, powered by LEGO.

When I was growing up back in the 15th century, LEGO was king. Simple blocks to build, a chance for childish creativity. I would play for hours. 

There were no distractions of gadgets or the Internet back in those days, and the simple LEGO pieces, which all came in standard sizes, were popular with kids everywhere. 

About 10 years ago, I was looking for gifts for my nephews on a trip back to the UK. I was heartened to hear that they were into LEGO, with a special interest in Star Trek and Star Wars. I was admiring their creativity in my head - just how would you build the Starship Enterprise from those simple blocks - until I went into the story. LEGO had clearly moved on, and I left a few minutes later with some custom-made inter-galactic LEGO sets.  

And not only is LEGO still thriving, but it is also evolving. One of its coolest features is to encourage innovation in new models. The company encourages its customers to design new products using LEGO pieces, and if there is enough interest (10,000 votes), then the company will consider putting the design into mainstream production.  

This initiative takes some serious planning and dedication for those with a passion, and TCN has featured a couple of designs before. But could this be the ultimate cool LEGO gift for your nephew or niece, a gift to inspire for the future. Meet the proposed LEGO version of the Rimac Nevera!

It is all the brainchild of a fan called platon_dr who tells us a little more about the proposed LEGO version on the official LEGO website: 

The model itself consists of 2127 parts, has an opening boot, doors and several compartments in the interior.

There is no frunk, just in like the real car, all the space in the front is used for making the car faster, than any car before had ever been.

The interior is very accurately copied, there are several opening compartments, the butterfly doors open just like the real ones, except they’re a bit smaller. 

 I must confess that my first reaction to seeing the Rimac Nevera was 'wow!' But platon_dr had another reaction:

The second I saw the car, I thought to myself “this would be a pain to build out of LEGO” and then I took it as a challenge. It would make a great set as LEGO also has to move on into the electric car future.

(The real thing - photo by Rimac Automobili)

Want to help make the budget Rimac Nevera a reality? You can voice your support for the idea here. 

Alternatively, go for a spin with one of the first buyers of the Rimac Nevera, Formula One legend Nico Rosberg.

For more Croatian innovation, check out the TCN Made in Croatia section. 

September 19, 2021 - The National Geographic Croatia program airs tonight from 9 pm, kicking off with Gordon Ramsay's Unchartered! 

Thanks to National Geographic, the whole world will be able to discover the beauties of Croatia on TV tonight, reports 24 Sata.

After Gordan Ramsay's Unchartered in Istria at 9 pm, an entire episode of Europe from Above's third season will showcase Croatia through the unique locations chosen by the production team. The episode was filmed throughout last year and covered all seasons, thus fully evoking the beauty of each destination. 

National Geographic was fascinated by the unusual 5.5-kilometer-long zigzag walls, which extend beyond the town of Ston to the nearby hills. The walls are believed to have been built to prevent the theft of salt from the saltworks there, as salt was a precious commodity in the Middle Ages.

But the walls are not only protected by the saltworks. Aerial footage reveals that the wall stretches across the peninsula and has 41 defensive towers and six fortresses. The rulers of Ston did not build a wall to protect the salt pans; they intended to protect the entire peninsula from its disobedient neighbors. The saltworks are still in operation today, after 4,000 years, and the locals harvest hundreds of tons of salt every year. All this makes it the oldest active saltworks in Europe, and after the Great Wall of China, it is the second-largest wall in the world.

The episode about Croatia will introduce viewers worldwide to the Osijek bank of the Drava, Lonjsko polje, the Neretva valley, and footage of the Pelješac bridge, the demolition of the Zagreb Cathedral tower and repairs, to rock climbing at Paklenica National Park.

The National Geographic Croatia program will air three shows in total tonight. The Croatia episode of Gordon Ramsay's "Unchartered" will air at 9 pm, followed by "Europe from Above" about Croatia at 10 pm. At 11 pm, "Dreamcars - Inside the Factory" will feature Rimac Automobili. 

The new season shows some of the best cultural and geographical sights in Europe through ‘hyper-lapse aerial photography. Impressive aerial shots offer a unique insight into how tradition, engineering, and natural landmarks have helped shape the continent. 

This season, six episodes will be broadcast dedicated to Croatia, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Ireland, and Iceland. This promotion is huge for Croatia as National Geographic reaches about 433 million households in 171 countries through all its platforms.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

September the 2nd, 2021 - It's no secret that Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac has caused a storm in the demanding automotive world, attracting not only attention but investments from giants such as Porsche. He has now stated that Croatia, the little country without any car production to speak of, is becoming one of the focal points of hypercar production.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Livno-born entrepreneur Mate Rimac, the head of the Bugatti-Rimac company, announced the arrival of many of the most exclusive cars and their owners in Croatia this Friday via a video he released yesterday. This group of individuals and their cars refers to the Supercar Owner’s Circle (SOC), the world’s most exclusive car collector’s club.

The three-day event will begin this Friday at 15:00 at the Croatian National Theatre in the very heart of the City of Zagreb, where the supercars and their owners will gather. After that, the cars will head off to the Aviation Technical Centre in nearby Velika Gorica, where they will compete in acceleration. After that, the procession will head to the coast, more specifically towards Kvarner and Opatija.

''Admission is free for all,'' said Mate, and invited all visitors and interested parties to attend the upcoming event which is sure to shine even more of a light on the Republic of Croatia as a country which creates hypercars.

''Greetings from Sveta Nedelja, the headquarters of Bugatti-Rimac, where we develop and produce some of the fastest cars of today, with Croatia becoming one of the focal points of the hypercar industry. We're proud not only of what we do here, but we also want buyers of such cars to come to our country and combine its beauty with the products we create. We're proud to be partners with the Supercar Owner’s Circle this year, where dozens of the most exclusive cars in the world will come to Croatia,'' Mate said in the video.

For more, make sure to follow our business section.

ZAGREB,  23 Aug, 2021 -  An automotive contest called "Rimac Formula Student Alpe Adria 2021" will take place in the northern Croatian town of Novi Marof on 26-29 August, bringing together  37 teams from 14 European countries.

This will be an opportunity for 850 undergraduates in those 37 teams to promote bolid cars they have made at their universities, the organisers have said at a recent news conference in Varaždin.

"The project intends to showcase the most innovative solutions in the auto industry, prepared by students from all over the world. Rimac Formula Student Alpe Adria is a variant of this project," said Tibor Kezelj, the head of the Varaždin-based FSAA association that organises the Croatian variant of the Formula Student, a student engineering competition held annually

Student teams from around the world design, build, test, and race a small-scale formula style racing car. The cars are judged on a number of criteria.

In Novi Marof, the jury includes judges from Formula 1 and other top-notch judges from the automobile industry.

Kezelj said that the contest also promotes the STEM sector in Croatia.

The sponsors of the event are the Rimac Automobili company and local authorities in the town of Novi Marof and Varaždin County. 

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

August 12, 2021 - National Geographic promotes Croatia on September 19 through three television shows broadcast to 170 countries worldwide! 

About 170 countries around the world will have the opportunity to get to know Croatia during a historic day for the county on the National Geographic channel! On September 19, Croatia will present itself to the world for the first time on one of the world's most-watched television channels. Through three different shows, Croatia will be shown as a top destination for all lovers of research, gastronomy, adventure, and science, reports Jutarnji List. 

The world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay dedicated one of the episodes of the third season of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted" to Croatia. Under the expert guidance of the local population and his host, famous Croatian chef David Skoko, with whom he measured his culinary strength, Ramsay dived in Istria, hunted goats and donkeys, searched for truffles, and prepared several recipes using local products such as fresh eggs, goat cheese, and olive oil.

With the episode filmed in Croatia, Gordon takes viewers on a trip to Portugal, Mexico, Texas, Maine, Puerto Rico, Island Smoky Mountains in America during the third season, with which Croatia will be presented this year as one of the world's most interesting destinations!

Apart from "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," the world will have the opportunity to see and experience Croatia from a bird's eye view in the show "Europe from Above." Beautiful and relaxing shots of Croatia from the air will travel the world and promote Croatia, especially the lesser-known towns of Ston and Metković, the fairytale Motovun, Pula, and more. 

Finally, in the popular show "Inside the Factory," viewers will have a unique opportunity to peek into the fascinating Rimac Automobili factory, during which the world will get to know Croatia as a country of knowledge and innovation. 

Episodes about Croatia will be broadcast on September 19, 2021:

21:00: Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered
22:00: Europe from Above
23:00: Rimac Automobili

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.