It has been less than a week since the Bugatti Tourbillion blew us away. The biggest highlight of the mammoth car was the V16, which, along with the electric motors, produces close to 1800 bhp. If you loved to see this technological marvel at work, then rejoice, as we might see it in another model, too. This car is slated to be a GT instead of another hypercar.
What Do We Know?
Frank Heyl, chief of design at Bugatti, told Autocar that a Type 57 SC Atlantic could be possible. In his own words, "Certainly. I mean, look at the Type 57 SC Atlantic: it's front-engined. So maybe later, but for now, we are super-happy that we went this way." The 57 Atlantic was, in its time, one of the most sought-after and premium cars. It still fetches multi-million dollars in various auctions.
Why a Bugatti GT Makes Sense?
We have seen multiple hypercar-format cars from Bugatti in the previous two decades. While these stand as a testament to what kind of performance can be achieved in automobiles, they don't get the comfort and elegance of a grand tourer. If Bugatti makes a grand tourer with the same V16 engine, it could take Bugatti back to the Type 57 SC times. This will also put them in contention with Rolls Royce. An example of the coachbuilding capabilities that Bugatti still holds is the Bolide, where they used a drivetrain or rolling chassis while dressing it in a unique design. While the redesign required for placing the V16 on the front might be costly, Bugatti enjoys the comfort of having customers who wouldn't worry much about the price.
Bugatti's One-Off Strategy
Heyl mentioned that Bugatti had introduced Centodieci and La Voiture Noire as ultra-exclusive models, adding that the brand intends to develop a couture-like service responsible for making one-off cars and special models. He also said, "That's an interesting aspect and it's a growing market, and it's especially relative to the kind of breed of customer that Bugatti serves - this aspect of ultimate individuality is very important." When asked about the possibility of changing the engine layout and configuration, Bugatti's CTO, Emilio Scervo, didn't answer clearly but said they could shuffle bits around.
Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac claimed that they are interested in keeping the ICE engine in Bugatti's future. This could mean we might see the V16 stay for a while, serving as the powertrain for new models, maybe some being one-offs.
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