BUGATTI has unveiled its new £3.2million hybrid hypercar “masterpiece” which boasts 1,800 horsepower.
The new generation motor from France’s most exclusive automaker has been revealed as the Bugatti Tourbillon in a live stream event.
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Just 250 units will be produced, with a starting price of £3.2 million – making this the most expensive new car in “series” production.
Named after the mechanism that maintains accuracy in high-end watches, the Tourbillon arrives exactly 20 years after the launch of the Veyron, which was the most powerful road car of its time.
That car’s successor, the Bugatti Chiron, launched in 2016 and has now ended production in preparation for the new car to be built from 2026.
The main talking point is the Tourbillon’s hybrid powertrain and V16 naturally aspirated engine.
It’s assisted by a sizeable hybrid module made up of three electric motors and a 25kWh battery pack.
In total the hypercar boasts a peak combined power of a dizzying 1,774bhp, with Bugatti confirming the ,motor will also come with a 37-mile electric range.
The Bugatti Tourbillon’s V16 engine has been developed in collaboration with British engine wizards Cosworth.
And when the Tourbillon reaches production in 2026 it will be the first production car to feature a V16 engine in over 85 years.
At 8.3-litres in capacity, this is a formidable engine capable of producing 987bhp on its own.
Connected to this engine are three electric motors that leverage the technical prowess of electric supercar maker Rimac following its integration with Bugatti.
The hybrid tech runs on an 800V electrical system and features the latest cutting edge advancements in electric motor technology, being among the most power dense units available.
There is no physical connection between the combustion engine and front axle.
It means Bugatti has been able to use the free space inside the car’s central tunnel to house the 25kWh battery pack and many of its electronics.
These three motors produce the remaining 788bhp to create the Tourbillon’s astounding peak power figure.
Unusually for a PHEV, the battery is equipped with 800V charging hardware for a 0-80 per cent charge time of just 12 minutes.
The brakes are carbon ceramic and are controlled by an optimised brake-by-wire system.
The Tourbillon’s dramatic, remote-opening dihedral doors are said to “not only allow for easy entry into the vehicle but provide a dramatic sense of arrival”.
FAST AND FURIOUS
At this stage there’s not much in the way of verified performance figures, but Bugatti says the Tourbillon will hit 62mph in two seconds.
It will also reportedly be able to hit 124mph in under five seconds, 186mph in under ten seconds and 248mph in less than 25 seconds.
And despite the move to a hybrid drivetrain, the Tourbillon actually weighs less than its pure-petrol predecessor, at 1995kg.
Use of 3D-printed components from US firm Czinger for the subframes maximises stiffness while keeping weight down.
Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac refers to the Tourbillon as “art on wheels, a moving painting”, and says he wanted to continue the company’s legacy of “bending physics”, reports Autocar.
Acknowledging the influence it can have outside of its core customer base, he said: “We will not change the life of everybody but everyone can be inspired.”
The CEO said recently he sees “no reason” for Bugatti to go electric in the immediate future, given its low volumes and the low mileages of its cars.
It comes after Bugatti announced it was discontinuing the Chiron.
The £3.1 million monster was the fastest car in the world until February this year, topping out at 304mph.
That crown has since been taken away by the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, which has claimed to hit a mind-bending 330mph.