2012 Bugatti Veyron on 2040-cars

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Bugatti transmission order means Veyron may last well into 2014

Bugatti has reportedly extended its order for the unique seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in the Veyron through 2014. Originally, the automaker had only maintained a contract for the transmissions through the end of 2013. Rumors have been swirling around the possibility of a new iteration of the Veyron in the works capable of dropping a 1.8-second 0-60 time. It's entirely possible the new transmission order could be used in that contraption, though Bugatti isn't saying one way or the other.
The transmission is used only in the Veyron and has been engineered to withstand a full 1,200 horsepower by Ricardo. With shift times of less than 150 milliseconds and both automatic and manual modes, there's no other transmission like it in the world. Of course, they don't come cheap. Toast one of these and Bugatti will kindly ask for $120,000 for a replacement, not including installation.

Bugatti begins winding down Chiron production

Bugatti's stunningly powerful Chiron has almost reached the end of the line. While the standard model is sold out, there are still some Pur Sport and Super Sport build slots available for buyers who want to add the hypercar to their collection before it sprints off into the sunset. Developed to replace the Veyron, the Chiron was unveiled at the 2016 edition of the Geneva auto show with a 1,500-horsepower, quad-turbocharged W16 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment. Deliveries started in March 2017, and the 100th unit was delivered to a customer in the Middle East in May of the following year. Bugatti reached the 250-car milestone in February 2020, and it built the 300th Chiron in March 2021. It said that the final examples of the Chiron and the Chiron Sport are either being built or scheduled to be built. What's left, then, are less than 40 build slots split between the Pur Sport and the Super Sport (pictured) variants, though Bugatti told Autoblog some of those are slotted for production but haven't been configured yet. The curtains will close when the final units are built.  There's no word yet on how long it will take to fill the remaining build slots; Bugatti stressed that demand for the Chiron has increased significantly in 2021. Sales doubled and even tripled in some regions during the third quarter of the year. As for what's next, your guess is as good as ours. Bugatti is now controlled by Rimac so rumors sketching the outline of an electric model are rampant, though nothing is official. We've also heard vague details about a second model line, one that could slot below the Chiron, but those reports also remain speculative. What's certain is that something will take the torch from the Chiron. "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 the meantime, Bugatti's factory will stay reasonably busy: the French brand will soon launch production of the EB110-inspired Centodieci, which is limited to 10 examples, and it's planning to build 40 units of the Bolide, a track-only two-seater that weighs less than a Subaru BRZ. Related Video:

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: