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Bugatti's Chiron successor will make its debut on June 20 with V16 power

Bugatti built the final Chiron, a Super Sport model called L'Ultime, in May 2024. We won't have to wait long to find out what's next: the brand has already announced that the Chiron's successor will get a new V16 engine, and it confirmed the model will make its debut on June 20. Little is known about the model — its name hasn't even been revealed yet. We're guessing it will inaugurate a new nameplate rather than land as, say, the second-generation Chiron, though this is pure speculation. What's certain is that the model will be new from the ground up. The quad-turbocharged W16 engine that has powered every Bugatti since the brand's revival will join the pantheon of automotive history. Instead, the Chiron's successor will use a new V16 engine developed in-house. The 16-cylinder will be part of a hybrid system, and Bugatti has previously described its next hypercar as being "heavily electrified." The chassis will be entirely new as well, so it will be interesting to see how Bugatti manages to offset the weight added by the hybrid system. For context, the Chiron was built largely out of carbon fiber. Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti's former head of design, previously told Autoblog that starting the project on a blank slate allowed his team to fine-tune the car's proportions."[The car] will certainly be tailored to one or the other aspect of a hybrid," he explained. The interior will evolve as well, but don't expect wall-to-wall screens. "Bugatti models need to sit on the lawn at Pebble Beach in 50 years and work," he summed up. While nothing suggests the Chiron's replacement will go retro, Bugatti notes it rummaged through its catalog of past models for inspiration. The Type 57 SC Atlantic, the Type 41 Royale, and the Type 35 all shaped the new car. The French brand considers the first two its most beautiful and its most luxurious cars, respectively, and the latter is widely credited as one of the most successful Grand Prix cars ever raced. Bugatti will stream the unveiling on its YouTube channel, and Autoblog will be there live to bring you fresh images of the car. Bugatti Luxury Performance Supercars

Kawasaki H2R races Bugatti Veyron, MP4-12C, and 1,350-hp GT-R

The Kawasaki Ninja H2R ranks among the modern marvels of the production motorcycle world. The bike is only for the track, but with a 1.0-liter, supercharged, four-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower, it's ludicrously quick. Super Street decided to put that acceleration to the test by staging a half-mile race against a Bugatti Veyron with the 1,200-hp tune from the Super Sport. We aren't going to spoil the winner, but according to Super Street this bike is the only H2R that Kawasaki USA currently has. The magazine also staged similar races against a McLaren MP4-12C and a Nissan GT-R with a claimed 1,350 hp, and you can check them both out below. If you're curious to read more about this event, there's an in-depth piece online about it all, as well.

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).