The $2 million Bugatti Chiron is not a car anyone would consider efficient. Equipped with a 16-cylinder, eight-liter quad-turbo engine, this 261 mph beast is capable of achieving an EPA-estimated combined gas mileage of just nine miles per gallon.
As electrification becomes the norm across the automotive industry, from pedestrian brands like Toyota and Honda to supercar powerhouses like Ferrari and Lamborghini, it would be natural for Bugatti to develop a hybrid powertrain of its own, but with its own twist.
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Bugatti showed off its new engine on February 29: a V16 hybrid propulsion system intended for the successor to the Chiron. The announcement, which the brand called “pour l'éternité” (or “for eternity” in English), the new engine is Bugatti's way of saying the brand intends to build cars with big, record-breaking engines. forever.
Although Bugatti has revealed very few details about the engine, sources who spoke to The Supercar Blog They claim that the new hybrid powerplant will consist of an 8.3-liter engine developed by Cosworth, which will be able to generate at least 1,800 horsepower when combined with three electric motors.
Bugatti's new part-owners Rimac is known for making record-breaking electric hypercars and is interested in injecting some of its DNA into Bugatti cars. In an interview with Automotive News EuropeRimac founder Mate Rimac said a unique vision was needed for cars carrying the Bugatti badge.
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“The easiest thing for us would be to take the Nevera, put the Bugatti logo on it and call it a day, but I was against it. I'm a fan of electric cars, but a Bugatti should have a combustion engine for a long time.” . some time,” Rimac explained. “(The car) will be heavily electrified, but we will have a very attractive combustion engine. When people see the next-generation Bugatti, I think they'll be surprised that I'm pushing for something like that because people associate me with electric vehicles. cars. But I’ve always been a performance fanatic and a car fanatic.”
Bugatti is expected to launch its next model in June 2024.
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