Bugatti has unveiled its replacement for the legendary Chiron, the Tourbillon. Unveiled at its star-studded world premiere in Molsheim, France, the all-new hypercar marks a complete departure from the brand’s iconic W16 engine. This time it was electrified with the help of Mate Rimac, the unstoppable force behind the all-electric Nevera, the world’s fastest accelerating hypercar. I attended the launch event and spoke with Rimac about his approach to the design of the new multi-million dollar behemoth.
While still unmistakably Bugatti, the Tourbillon is now electrified.
First, while the Tourbillon is electrified, it’s not as most people predicted (and some feared). Ever since Rimac joined forces with Bugatti and Porsche nearly three years ago, the new Bugatti has been expected to adopt the powertrain of the Nevera or a heavily modified version of it and go all-electric. But it did not happen. Instead, the Tourbillon follows the hybrid path charted by Ferrari with the SF90 Stradale and McLaren with the Artura – minus the unique Bugatti twist.
The all-new 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine, developed in collaboration with the legendary British racing engine manufacturer Cosworth, still plays a central role here. But it was paired with a powerful electric powertrain that consists of a front electronic axle with two electric motors and another rear motor. The combination delivers a staggering 1,800 horsepower, surpassing the Bugatti Veyron’s naturally aspirated internal combustion engine. The electric motors offer instant torque and agility, while the 25kWh battery allows for an all-electric range of over 57 miles.
When we met in Zagreb a week before the launch, I asked Mate Rimac about the choice of power unit. “I am fully convinced that mainstream transport will be electric,” he says. “It makes more sense. But there will be very specific niches where combustion will take a lot longer than people think. It’s just something that people emote.” That’s something I rediscovered when I test drove the Maserati MC20 recently. “Also, some brands will struggle to differentiate themselves without having an internal combustion engine because that’s what they’ve built their heritage on. . So the transition to electricity will be difficult for them.”
I spoke with Mate Rimac at his new factory in Zagreb, Croatia.
“But you can do exciting things with an electric drive that you can’t do with combustion, which is what we’ve achieved with the Nevera,” says Rimac. “Our customers have dozens of cars in their garages, so they don’t necessarily want just one type of vehicle. You have to offer them something special. Electric can be special. That’s what we show with Nevera. It has almost 2000 horsepower, 27 world records and does crazy things like drift mode. Our customers love the car. But for different markets and car categories, going electric will be very easy or very difficult. We’ve positioned ourselves as trailblazers – a bit of crazy, doing things that others aren’t doing, and there’s a market for those cars. I also believe that the market for cars with an internal combustion engine in this category will live for a long time.”
Continuation of the long Bugatti tradition
The tourbillon comes from a long heritage of combustion size. It draws inspiration from Bugatti’s rich 115-year history, guided by founder Ettore Bugatti’s pursuit of automotive excellence. Its mantras, “if they’re comparable, it’s no longer a Bugatti” and “nothing is too beautiful” are embedded in the design and construction of the Tourbillon, which spares no expense or shirks any technical challenge. The Tourbillon pays tribute to legendary Bugatti models such as the Type 57SC Atlantic, Type 35 and Type 41 Royale, which embody beauty, performance and unrivaled luxury.
However, unlike previous Bugattis, the Tourbillon abandons the tradition of naming base models after racing drivers. Instead, “Tourbillon,” a French word referring to a watchmaking invention (and already used for some actual Bugatti watches), is meant to reflect the car’s intricate mechanics and enduring elegance. The design prioritizes timeless appeal and uses an all-analog instrument panel. made by Swiss watchmakers, each component is carefully selected to ensure that the Tourbillon remains a precious heirloom for generations to come, like a classic Swiss watch.
The interior of the Tourbillon has many horological design motifs.
Like all modern Bugattis, the Tourbillon is shaped for exceptional aerodynamics. Every surface, intake and ridge is meticulously ground to achieve not only aerodynamic efficiency, but also optimum performance from the car’s V16 engine, electric motors and battery. The Tourbillon boasts several patented technologies honed over Bugatti’s two decades of experience with the Veyron and Chiron. But the most revolutionary function is the drive train.
“When I was thinking about what to do with the Bugatti brand, I was thinking that Bugatti has many types of cars, not just hypercars – racing cars, huge luxury cars and GTs,” says Rimac. “So you can go in many directions, but in every way, Bugatti is the pinnacle of the automotive industry.” I realized that the brand is about pushing the limits and we have to keep doing that. Our shareholders were pushing hard for an electric car, and that would be the easiest because we had Nevera with 2,000 horsepower and 400 km/h. On paper, you could make it a Bugatti. This was what everyone expected, but I thought it was a bad thing because Bugatti is about traditional sports craftsmanship. It is about 115 years of history. I felt that Bugatti still needed an internal combustion engine, so I created a 3D printed concept car four years ago. It had a V16 engine and an electric motor in the back and two electric motors in the front, with a battery in the middle. I brought it to the management of the Volkswagen Group and said that this is what I want to do.
The Tourbillon is also built on an all-new chassis and body structure to complement the unique engine configuration. The construction uses next-generation T800 carbon composite, which includes weight-saving innovations such as a battery integrated into the monocoque and a revolutionary impact composite rear diffuser. The car also features an all-new multi-link suspension system forged from aluminum for exceptional handling.
No self-respecting hypercar can do without scissor doors.
“I realized that the Volkswagen Group is not a company with one opinion, it is a lot of people with many different opinions,” says Rimac. “It was all very political, but we were able to close the deal and I was given a huge opportunity to lead the brand into its next chapter. I wanted to create a super emotional combustion engine enabled by high performance electric poetry. It’s all about the internal combustion engine with the electric powertrain in the background. It has a bit of a weak, old-school engine that lacks power, but the electric powertrain makes up for that and more. You have instant throttle response, torque vectoring and low-rev regenerative braking. All the disadvantages of the internal combustion engine are eliminated. But then you can have a really great internal combustion engine.”
“The W16 in the Chiron is an amazing engine, but all you hear is the turbo,” adds Rimac. “It’s a unique sound, but they’re just turbos, and when you step on the gas, nothing happens for a second unless you’re in the right rev and boost range. The Tourbillon doesn’t have that. It has the amazing sound of a naturally aspirated V16 engine and more torque than you could ever ask for from very low revs thanks to the electric motors. It combines the advantages of both sides into a super high-tech electric powertrain, which is essentially Formula 1 technology.”
With a starting price of €3.8 million and limited to just 250 pieces, the Bugatti Tourbillon is another exclusive vehicle for very special customers. It embodies Bugatti’s relentless pursuit of innovation and determination to create timeless masterpieces. The Tourbillon is meant to be more than just a car; is meant to be a testament to Bugatti’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering and design.
But where does the Bugatti Tourbillon leave the Rimac brand?
“I feel like an artist with two canvases,” says Rimac. “There is a Bugatti that is about heritage, luxury and craftsmanship – quality leather, analogue feel, more like a classic traditional watchmaker. Then there’s Rimac, which is about extreme high performance, pushing boundaries, doing crazy things, maybe things that are a little too extreme for the old brand.”
Only 250 examples of the Tourbillon will be sold.
“In 36 years, I developed five cars from the ground up,” concludes Rimac. “I learned so much along the way. I’m super self-critical and find 1000 things we could have done better in previous projects. But nothing was off the table with the Tourbillon. It’s truly amazing – interior, powertrain and all – and you can see it in the customer feedback. Despite only offering 250 cars at a starting price of €3.8 million, it was almost sold out before we even showed it to the public. This is a reflection of the attractiveness of the product. We still have a lot to offer with the Bugatti brand – and Rimac – so I feel great about the way the business is going.”