Bugatti has introduced the new Bugatti Tourbillon, a hybrid model with immense power and a significant price tag. This car is set to succeed the Bugatti Chiron, which offered 1,500 horsepower for $3.3 million.
Bugatti’s new model might have been anticipated to be fully electric. The automotive industry is increasingly moving in that direction. In 2021, Volkswagen Group spun off Bugatti and partnered with Rimac, the Croatian company renowned for manufacturing the all-electric Rimac Nevera supercar.
Mate Rimac, CEO of the newly formed Bugatti Rimac, clarified that he never intended to develop an all-electric Bugatti. As gasoline-powered vehicles gradually diminish on global roads, Bugatti Rimac’s engineers and designers aimed to craft a vehicle honouring traditional Bugatti cars’ essence. Still, they enhanced: an incredibly potent plug-in hybrid.
Similar to its predecessors like the Bugatti Chiron and Veyron, the upcoming Bugatti Tourbillon will feature a massive 16-cylinder gasoline engine. Developed in collaboration with the British race car engineering firm Cosworth, this engine will be complemented by three robust electric motors. Positioned with one motor at the rear and two at the front, these motors generate a minimum of 800 horsepower.
Furthermore, Bugatti Rimac confirmed that the Bugatti Tourbillon will deliver at least 1,800 horsepower.
The electric motors will help compensate for the new gas engine’s lack of turbochargers. The Chiron’s gas engine had four turbochargers that forced air in to boost power. Mate Rimac said they opted for a “naturally aspirated” design, meaning this new engine won’t use turbochargers.
Rimac stated, “Our goal was to create the most exhilarating, emotionally engaging combustion engine imaginable, something high-revving and naturally aspirated.”
Similarly, the car’s interior pays tribute to traditional machinery. Named after the intricate gears that ensure precision in mechanical watches, the Tourbillon features an instrument display inspired by the dials found in mechanical watches.
The central speedometer, inspired by a clock, features two needles. The longer needle tracks the car’s speed, while the shorter one indicates how fast the high-revving 16-cylinder engine spins (measured in revolutions per minute).
Additionally, when fully charged, the car will have an electric range of approximately 37 miles, operating solely on electric power before the gas engine engages. However, drivers will also have the option to keep the gas engine running continuously if they prefer.
Unlike previous Bugatti models, the Tourbillon features a reasonably large display screen with Apple CarPlay functionality. Interestingly, the screen remains concealed until activated by the driver’s request. Bugatti designers have consciously refrained from integrating screens into their cars, believing computer displays can quickly appear outdated.
“We consider how this product will appear in 50 years, even 100 years,” remarked Rimac. “It’s evident that screens do not age well.”
Mate Rimac confirmed that Bugatti will hand-assemble the Tourbillons individually at their intimate factory in Molsheim, France. Bugatti plans to produce only 250 of these exclusive vehicles, with prices starting at approximately $4 million each.
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