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In 2004, the reborn Bugatti brand transformed the world of automotive performance and luxury with a 1,001 hp hypersports car: the Veyron. The first road car with more than 1,000 hp was succeeded in 2016 by another engineering feat so ambitious it reset all expectations of performance, the world’s first 1,500 hp car: the Chiron. At the heart of these cars was the world’s most advanced automotive engine: an 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16.
Now, 20 years after Bugatti invented the hypersports car, it redefines the concept completely with an entirely new powertrain and platform: the Bugatti Tourbillon.
Although beautiful in its design and proportions, every surface, intake and vent is carefully honed to balance the enormous aerodynamic forces of a car travelling at over 400 km/h as well as the thermodynamic requirements of a V16 engine, electric motors and battery at full performance.
Using over 20 years of expertise from the Veyron and Chiron, the Tourbillon features several patented technologies. As a result, the rear wing even remains submerged during top-speed runs, with a perfect equilibrium of forces generated by these innovations. Much of this aerodynamic equilibrium is thanks to the new diffuser concept, which starts to climb from just behind the passenger cabin, rising at an ideal angle to keep the Tourbillon in perfect balance.
This next-generation Bugatti hypersports car is powered by an all-new 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine – engineered with the help of Cosworth – paired with a front e-Axle with two electric motors and one electric motor mounted at the rear axle.
The Tourbillon produces 1,800 hp with 1,000 from the combustion engine itself and 800 hp from the electric motors. It’s an extraordinary achievement – delivered thanks to a host of cutting-edge materials and technology – given the Veyron achieved 1,001 hp from its 8.0- liter capacity engine with four turbochargers, and the new V16 is naturally aspirated. Constructed from lightweight materials, the engine weighs just 252 kg.
The electric motors are powered by a 25 kWh oil-cooled 800V battery housed in the central tunnel and behind the passengers. With four-wheel-drive and full torque vectoring, it offers ultimate traction and agility. The front e-axle houses two electric motors, with a further motor on the rear axle, for a total of 800 hp from the electric powertrain system.
The design philosophy of the Tourbillon’s interior is focused on timelessness. Inspired by the world of horologie, in which wristwatches over 100 years old can still be worn and used today, integrated into modern fashion and lifestyles seamlessly, the design and engineering teams pioneered an authentic analogue experience in the cabin.
The centerpiece is an instrument cluster designed and built with the expertise of Swiss watchmakers. Made up of more than 600 parts and constructed from titanium and gemstones such as sapphire and ruby, the skeletonized cluster weighs just 700g.
A total of 250 examples will be built, with a starting price of 3.8m Euro.
