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Bugatti won't drop piston-powered cars under Rimac ownership

Volkswagen solved its Bugatti problem by merging the French carmaker with Croatia-based Rimac. Both companies will face the regulatory challenges of the 2020s together, but hastily putting the Chiron out to pasture and lazily resorting to badge engineering isn't an option, according to the man in charge of the newly-formed group. "I'm a car guy. We will not just recycle what we have — not restyle the Chiron or hybridize the Chiron. We're developing a completely new product from the ground up. Everything, because we think that's the best way to go. That product will have an internal combustion engine," said Mate Rimac in an interview with Auto Express. In a separate interview with Autocar, he added that "what some people expect might happen is that we take a Nevera and slam a Bugatti logo on it and call it a Bugatti." He stressed "that's absolutely not going to happen." Whether that internal combustion engine will be the thunderous W16 that powers the Chiron, among several other cars, remains to be seen. Rumors occasionally puff out of the auto industry's chimney claiming the unit will retire when the Chiron does. Regardless, an internal combustion engine won't power Bugatti's next models on its own. Hybrid technology will gradually appear to increase horsepower and acceleration times while improving fuel efficiency. Of course, the whole point of putting Bugatti under Rimac's roof is to give the former access to the latter's electric technology. Some degree of technology transfer is inevitable, though the partnership may take time to bear fruits. "I'll say that, within this decade, there will be a fully electric Bugatti. But, by the end of this decade, there will be combustion-engined Bugatti models as well, but heavily hybridized," Mate Rimac said. While "Bugatti is going electric" is likely to be the main takeaway, Rimac's comments also confirm that a multi-model range is in the pipeline. Auto Express speculated one way Bugatti could credibly expand beyond the hypercar segment is to release a sedan. Finally, Rimac played down concerns that Bugatti and Rimac will ultimately overlap. "Bugatti is about heritage and craftsmanship; Rimac focuses on technology. It's like Bugatti being an analog Swiss watch, and Rimac cars being an Apple watch," he said. "We can have two parallel, very distinct product lines." Related Video:

Bugatti Chiron mule caught wearing stylish camo over hybrid drivetrain

Upon first inspection, this looks to be a strangely styled Bugatti Veyron. Such a thing shouldn't be a shock. We have, after all, already seen the hypercar with a penis on the hood and painted in nearly every single hue that exists on our planet. Take a closer look, though, and we see something altogether different. That's because this isn't a Veyron - it's new, rumored to be a replacement to the Veyron and is allegedly called the Chiron.
The first identifier that we're looking at something different are the huge carbon-ceramic brakes, which dwarf the already meaty pans found on the standard Veyron Super Sport. Beyond that, the distinctive snorkel intakes of the Veyron have been replaced with simple NACA ducts, while Bugatti engineers have ditched the car's enormous adjustable rear spoiler.
That amputation has allowed our spies to peek into the back of the car, and identify what we think are the components of an electric powertrain. Considering current performance trends, we shouldn't be surprised that Bugatti (and by extension, Volkswagen) are tinkering with hybrid tech.

Bugatti has no plans for a 1,500-hp Chiron roadster

Automakers seem to create variations of variations of variations. That's how we end up with vehicles like the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, which is totally not a slightly worked over M5 with a wider body. Many manufacturers seem to have taken Field of Dreams to heart, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that Bugatti said there will be no roadster version of the upcoming 1,500-horsepower Chiron. Speaking to Autocar, Bugatti board member Dr. Stefan Brungs said that the Veyron successor would only come as a coupe. That's a change of pace from the Veyron, which came in open-top Grand Sport and Grand Sport Vitesse versions. All in all, Bugatti sold a total of 450 Veyrons over a ten-year lifespan, a third of which were targa-roofed Grand Sports. Dr. Brungs didn't rule out more-powerful future variations of the Chiron, though the company is focused on selling the current 500-car allotment. The Chiron's 1,500 hp are supplied by an 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged, mid-mounted W16. That engine is a heavily updated version of the 1,300-hp W16 from the record-setting Veyron Grand Sport. That car holds the ill-defined title of the world's fastest production car, something Bugatti itself hopes to top with the Chiron in 2018. The Chiron goes on sale soon with a base price of $2.6 million, though options could easily push it over $3 million. Other hypercars, like the Ferrari LaFerrari, are coming out with open-top editions. The Porsche 918 only comes with a removable targa top. Despite the comments from Dr. Brungs, Bugatti is in the business of making money, so expect the company to seriously consider changing its mind. Related Video: