Bugatti has descended upon the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife with a Chiron.

However, it's unclear why the exotic marque is testing the car car at all. We know it's a prototype because it was spotted during an industry day and is finished in matte black paint. It's also devoid of any badges.

The Chiron seems to be holding back often—there are other cars on the track, after all—but the driver does get on it more than a few times in a deep bellow of quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 bliss.

We suppose it's possible Bugatti is already testing a new iteration of Chiron, possibly with hybrid technology. We know there will be more versions, just like the Veyron, but it does seem awfully early. Initial sales of the Chiron are promising, which means if demand keeps up for the current car, a new variant may be pushed off.

Another guess is Bugatti may be eying an official Nürburgring lap time and this could be part of the marque's preparation for such an event. However, this is all just a guess. Why Bugatti is running a Chiron at the 'Ring is something only the brand knows.