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Bugatti Chiron successor prototype spotted in full profile under camo

When Bugatti teased the new V16 that will go into the successor to the Chiron, the early word was that the new coupe would still be recognizable as a Bugatti. We have Top Gear to thank for proof, the magazine scoring an image of a prototype and posting it to X. The design trademarks are there — low nose rising to hug the front wheels, the C graphic along the side, thin light bar stretched across the rear, and a whopping deployable wing. Looks like the new monocoque underneath has been lowered and stretched compared to the current car, though. The front overhang is longer, the curve of the C has been pulled back like a bow string at the top, and there's a noticeably larger span of sheetmetal between the diagonal of the C and the rear wheel arch. Also, that C design element cuts higher through the side of the car, about two-thirds of the way down the door instead of just above the rocker panel. And it's tough to make out details through the camo, but the doors have new lines, too.  This is your first look at BugattiÂ’s V16-engined successor to the Chiron. WeÂ’ve got hold of a spy shot of BugattiÂ’s next hypercar, and it looksÂ… colourful -> https://t.co/swGT4wu3St pic.twitter.com/RMmfcJkp6c — Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) April 26, 2024 In back, the current horizontal line of a taillight is curved in two dimensions to follow the coupe's rear edge. The latter third of the car gives us Super Sport vibes, the standard Chiron variant that channeled the Super Sport 300+ created to hit 300 miles per hour, especially in the rear diffuser area.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Car Design World (@cardesignworld) Part of the extra length could be about fitting the new hybrid and quad-turbocharged V16 powertrain. The Chiron's yet-unnamed successor will use a plug-in hybrid system, Rimac-Bugatti previously describing the power unit as "heavily electrified." This suggests (though nothing is official) that the model will be capable of running on electricity alone for relatively short distances. If other super sports cars are useful indicators, all-electric running might last no longer than ten kilometers or so. Rumors about that the ICE portion is an 8.3-liter unit developed with the help of Cosworth, aided by three electric motors that make 335 horsepower apiece. That suggests not only appreciably more horsepower than the 1,578 in the Chiron, but all-wheel drive.

Volkswagen may 'carve out' Lamborghini to list on the stock exchange

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen is drawing up plans to set up Lamborghini as a more independent unit, and is discussing long-term supply deals that could make it easier to list it on the stock exchange, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. "Volkswagen is in the process of carving out Lamborghini, and to organize future supply and technology transfer deals," one of the sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Italian sportscar brand, which is currently a division of Audi, could be partially listed, with Volkswagen retaining a controlling stake, the first person familiar with the talks said. There is no formal decision to divest Lamborghini, a second source said, adding that the timetable of any deal remained unclear. "This is a first step which gives VW the option to list the unit further down the line," the second source told Reuters. A third source familiar with the discussions said the future of Bugatti, Lamborghini and Ducati was discussed during a supervisory board meeting last Friday. The possibilities for how to electrify the Lamborghini and Bugatti brands through partnerships and investors was discussed, the third source said. Bankers and potential cornerstone investors in an IPO have been approached by the carmaker, the sources said. Volkswagen declined to comment. Volkswagen Group's Chief Executive Herbert Diess on Wednesday said the carmaker will announce "important steps" about the company's future before the close of the year. Volkswagen is reviewing what role its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati will play within the multi-brand carmaker as part of broader quest for more economies of scale, senior executives told Reuters. A global clampdown on combustion-engined vehicles has forced carmakers to accelerate development of low-emission technology for mainstream models, leaving Volkswagen managers struggling to find resources to electrify low volume sportscar models. Related Video:

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon puts a mini W16 engine in motion inside a watch

In early 2019, Bugatti ended its 15-year watch partnership with Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier and inaugurated a new collaboration with New York watchmaker and jeweler Jacob & Co. — the latter firm once known for helping define the bling-bling era in American music. When announcing the new tie-up at the global timepiece showcase Baselworld in March last year, Jacob debuted two new limited-edition watches, both based on extant Jacob models. The $545,000 Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition reworked the watchmaker's Twin Turbo Furious timepiece, and the $37,000 Bugatti Chrono Edition Limitee 100 Ans celebrated Bugatti's 110th anniversary and was based off Jacob's Epic X Chrono. Yet, as the partnership promised to push "the limits of what seems mechanically possible," a new and incredible watch would be needed, so Jacob spent a year developing this, the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon. Behind its sapphire crystal there's an automaton suspended inside the case mimicking the movement of the Chiron's W16 engine.               View this post on Instagram                   [Sound On] Capturing the #Chiron. Ever since the first automobiles competed for the fastest laps and times, watches and cars have been inexorably linked. Car aficionados love watches, reveling in the mechanical precision, beauty, and performance of both. But watches could never capture the feel, energy, and power of a high-performance car engine.? ?? That is... until today. Introducing the new Bugatti Chiron 16 Cylinder Tourbillon from @jacobandco. #jacobandcochiron? .? .? .? .? .? .? .? .? #jacobandco #jacobandcowatches #hautehorlogerie #hautehorology #inspiredbytheimpossible #bugatti #bugattichiron A post shared by Jacob & Co. (@jacobandco) on Apr 8, 2020 at 7:59am PDT The animated engine serves no timekeeping purpose, it's there for show — and it's quite the show. Pressing the pusher crown at the base of the case sets the engine in motion for about 20 seconds; a stainless steel crankshaft milled from a single ingot pushes stainless con-rods and pistons inside a sapphire crystal block, and two spinning turbochargers can be viewed through a window on the side of the case. After three runs, the engine's barrel needs to be recharged by turning the center crown counterclockwise, then it's ready for another three goes.