All-new naturally-aspirated V16 hybrid Bugatti announced with 1,800hp!
It isn't often we see a fully new Bugatti model, but 20 years since the Veyron redefined the hypercar with 1,0001hp and a 253mph top speed, the numbers game has been played very strongly once again with the all-new Tourbillon. For the first time in the 21st century, the 8.0-litre, quad-turbocharged W16 engine has been dropped, but if you're thinking Bugatti is downsizing, think again! The Torubillon's defining feature on paper is a naturally-aspirated 8.3-litre V16 with engineering input from Cosworth and a redline of 9,000rpm, which promises to deliver a very different experience to any existing Bugatti.
The combustion motor alone produces a Veyron-matching 1,000hp and 664lb ft of torque, but of course that's not all. Electric hypercar pioneers Rimac acquired Bugatti in 2021, and Mate Rimac's influence is clear here, with the engine being helped out by two independent 340hp electric motors through a front 'e-axle', giving up to 37 miles of all-electric range, but more importantly, adding up to nearly 1,800hp when the motors work together, 300 more than the outgoing Chiron.
A new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission helps control all that power, and surprisingly, given the trend of recent cars and all the tech on board, the Tourbillon is lighter than the Chiron, coming in at 1,995kg. Hardly a featherweight, but then Bugattis have always been hefty and there should be more than enough power and engineering to see to that.
The car features a monocoque incorporating T800 carbon composite, and the battery is actually incorporated into the monocoque's structure, all resulting in a lighter, stiffer and safer construction.
Rather refreshingly, instead of an abundance of characterless screens, the Tourbillon honours its name with analogue dials made with the expertise of Swiss watchmakers.
Now, it's time for headline figures, and they're every bit as mind-boggling as you'd expect. 0-62mph in 2.0 seconds, 0-124mph in 5.0 seconds, 0-186mph in 10 seconds and 0-248mph in 25 seconds, meaning the Tourbillon is 6.7 seconds quicker than an original Veyron to 186mph, although I think that equally speaks to how impressive that car was 20 years ago. Top speed is 276mph when using the designated 'Speed Key'.
Just 250 will be produced worldwide, each with a starting price tag of £3.2 million, if you'd like to form an orderly queue!
