Three induction motors. A few batteries. One enormous internal combustion engine. enormous power. Lots of speed. Greetings from Bugatti’s newest chapter.
Here it is: the brand-new 1,775-bhp Bugatti Tourbillon, a Chiron replacement that gets its name from a device that counteracts gravity that is typically visible in silly-money watches. The name alludes to the new Bug’s potential vendetta against physics as well as Rimac’s recent fixation on skeletonized mechanical engineering (more on that later).
Despite having a brand-new 8.3-liter naturally-aspirated V16 engine designed by Cosworth that runs at 9,000 rpm, a meter-long crankshaft, and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission attached to the back, the car is 33 mm shorter and no longer than a Chiron. Despite having two electric motors on the front axle and one on the back, as well as a 200 kg, 25 kWh battery down the spine where the gearbox should be, it weighs only slightly less than the 1,995 kg kerbweight of the Chiron. It also makes use of the slimmer center console to pinch the glasshouse and lower drag by reducing frontal area.
More agile, lighter, and more potent than a vehicle that can reach speeds considerably over 300 mph Like “croissant,” which is impossible to pronounce without a French accent, the Tourbillon is not blustering.
Wouldn’t a pure-EV have been… easier? we question Mate Rimac, the new CEO of Bugatti Rimac who is giving us the grand tour. Yes, if you were to reskin the [Rimac] Nevera, it might resemble a Bugatti. Financially speaking, it’s the right choice, but I strongly opposed it since it’s the wrong one. According to him, Bugatti is all about tradition, artistry, performance, and quality, but it’s also more aristocratic and committed to the analogue world.
After that, I decided to turn the Chiron into a hybrid. However, that is also problematic since everything would be compromised and it would be extremely heavy. I therefore had an absurd idea to build a whole new automobile.
I don’t deny that the Tourbillon resembles a ripped Chiron with anger management issues; you may have noticed this by now. The familiarity taints the first impression, but if you look closely, you’ll see the headlights that float and are suspended from flying buttresses, which are meant to feed as many valuable air molecules as possible into the voracious engine. Observe how the glasshouse narrows, emphasizing the shoulders, and how the doors are pure theater, electrically actuated, and shaped like a double Bugatti first.
The action really starts at the back, where there’s an open V16 that is obviously tilted forward to make room for the massive venturi tunnels that run down either side. The deployable spoiler can stay hidden during vmax runs thanks to a diffuser that has twice the volume of the Chiron’s, but it also becomes visible when in Track mode and acts as an air brake. The rear tires are completely visible from the back, resembling an ultra-luxe hot rod, and 3D-printed titanium exhaust points are positioned high.
It would be simple to decide to do something very outrageous to announce that the company, management, and powertrain had all changed. In fact, we had some suggestions along those lines, but they didn’t feel right. We consider the long run. We aim to continue as this brand—which has been around for 114 years—for at least another 100 years, says Mate. “It would be such a shame to throw it away. These iconic Bugatti design elements—the horseshoe, the center line, and the two-tone paint—are so precious.”
Since first deliveries aren’t expected until 2026, real-world testing has only recently started, however performance is mainly theoretical at this point and is consistently unclear. With a total of 1,775 horsepower promised—986 from the engine and 789 from the three e-motors—you may have 4WD, a 60-kilometer all-electric range, and the kind of acceleration found in the Ferrari 812 Superfast—all without even rousing the V16 from its sleep. and content neighbors.
Although the maximum speed of 445 km/h (277 mph) should be sufficient for daily needs, it is evident that there is more to offer. Will they attempt to set a new fastest time? Mate responds, “Let’s see,” which is code for “yes.” The man who will likely take it into uncharted territory, Andy Wallace, notes that when pushing beyond 300 mph, they will have a lot more to play with on the 5.4-mile Ehra-Lessien straight because it completes the “boring bit, up to 250mph” so much faster than the Chiron (about 25 seconds versus 32.6). Contrarily, 0-62 mph takes less than two seconds (a Chiron takes 2.4 seconds), 0-124 mph takes less than five seconds (a Chiron takes 6.1 seconds), and 0-186 mph takes less than ten seconds (13.1s).
Then, a true missile, but one with meticulous attention to detail We may not have seen a Pagani like this. “Normally you have exterior and interior design, but we wanted this car to look special even when it’s naked, so we hired a rolling chassis designer,” Mate grinned and said, giving us the following ratios: CEO: 1, finance department:
As he acknowledges, “I’m a bit of a hinge freak,” all of the hinges are machined and anodized aluminum. Honestly, the wins are everywhere. The suspension arms, which are paired with dual-valve active dampers and are 3D printed by Divergent—you may remember them as Czinger’s sister company—are more attractive, robust, and stiffer than traditional suspension arms because they grow organically like bone and sinew.
Let the door open itself, then pause to admire the tactile marvels of engineering everywhere you look. With every gear and gem visible, the skeletonized instrument dials are effectively scaled-up versions of Swiss timepieces. The center dial has two needles that control speed (up to 550 km/h, or 342 mph) and revs (up to 10,000 rpm). Add the twin needles on the right, which indicate the real-time power draw from the ICE engine and motors, to determine how brave your right foot is. On the left are analog battery, oil temperature, and fuel gauges.
The true show-stopper, however, is a two-spoke wheel with paddle shifters hinged from the rim that revolves around the instruments and immobile center boss. It’s captivating, but the mood is somewhat destroyed when I mention that the Citroen C4 has a similar feature.
There are exposed internal organs on a strip of dials on the machined crystal glass center console and the seat adjustment knob on the door. The engine can be started with a pleasantly tactile method by pulling an organ stop lever that protrudes from the dash. The car’s overall length can be reduced by raising and adjusting the back angle of the fixed longitudinal seats, which can also be modified by adjusting the pedal box.
What’s this, too? Not a single screen? Nearly When you push a button, an incredibly delightful mechanical ballet unfolds, with a portrait-oriented display rising from the top of the dash and then rotating to landscape and settling back down. In some areas, a reversing camera is a must-have, but Mate also detests drivers who must study sat-nav instructions on their phones while perilously balanced on their lap. This device features an extremely user-friendly UI that supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Then, there is a feast of handcrafted, machined, or printed unobtanium everywhere you see and feel. Unique materials, considerate details, and a feeling of nearly being worth your €3.8m (£3.2m) plus tax With a few wise choices, that’s more than £4 million. Initially, Bugatti will produce 250 of these coupes at a rate of around 80 a year, with derivatives hitting the production line from 2029 onwards.
What’s this, too? Not a single screen? Nearly
As opposed to going full-Königsegg and manufacturing everything in-house, Rimac’s willingness to collaborate with premium suppliers when necessary appears to be the key to this vehicle, unlike the Veyron: Brembo for the brakes, Concepto for the instrument dials, Cosworth for the engine, Divergent 3D for the suspension, and Rimac Technology for the electronics, of course.
“The key is we worked super closely together – the designers, the engineers and myself – from the beginning on every detail,” Mate explains. For if you reach this point and declare, ‘I don’t like something, it can’t be changed,’ you are throwing away both time and money. We carried out the original concept and succeeded in realizing it just as originally intended.”
Therefore, the Tourbillon is more than just a new performance standard; as Mate puts it, it’s “a hypercar that says yes to progress, but not at the expense of emotion.” It’s a win for combustion and analogue mechanical complexity in a world that is frog-marching towards EVs.
