The Volkswagen era of Bugatti ownership is over.
After a two-decade production run of incredibly luxurious, high-performance hypercars like the Veyron, the Chiron, and their many variants, a new era has begun. On November 1, 2021, the Bugatti-Rimac joint venture began operation, with the Croatian manufacturer of fully electric hypercars holding 55% and Porsche AG holding the other 45%. Both Bugatti and Rimac will continue operating as independent brands.
Bugatti will continue to court its high net-worth clientele with cutting-edge sports cars that blend extreme performance with luxurious interiors, the ultimate in craftsmanship, and customization options limited only by the customer’s imagination. The price tags will also continue to cross seven digits.
What will change is the drivetrain that powers future Bugattis, starting with their latest model, the Tourbillon. In place of the former Ferdinand Piëch-inspired 8.0-liter W16 engine that put out as much as 1,578 horsepower, the Tourbillon will use a new 8.3-liter V16 engine driving through an eight-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. The V16 is supplemented by three electric motors.
While the design of the Bugatti Tourbillon is clearly evolutionary, it has been designed with speeds in excess of 248 mph (400 kph) in mind. This means that both aerodynamics and thermodynamics (managing the engine heat produced at those high speeds) have been refined.
Aerodynamically, the car is lower, while the drag-producing rear wing works as an air brake and does not protrude during high-speed runs. A diffuser is partially hidden underneath and balances aerodynamic forces.
