No, Bugatti did not own Lotus. Both companies have long and storied histories in the auto industry, with Bugatti being founded by Ettore Bugatti in 1909 and Lotus being established by Colin Chapman in 1952. However, despite their shared passion for engineering excellence and ambitious designs, these two iconic marques have never been under the same ownership. In fact, a proposed merger between the two automakers was rejected by Volkswagen Group (which owns Bugatti) back in 2015. The reason for this rejection is believed to be because of Lotus's financial struggles at the time - a situation that has since been addressed through measures such as restructuring its debt load and receiving investment from Chinese automotive giant Geely Holding Group. Ultimately though, it appears that there will be no union between these legendary companies anytime soon - leaving us all to marvel at their respective accomplishments on our own!