Can you believe it’s been 16 years since Bugatti launched the Veyron? In 2008, under the aegis of Volkswagen Group’s Ferdinand Piech, the Veyron finally ended the McLaren F1’s 14-year reign as world’s fastest production car with its 407km/h top speed knocking off the big Mac’s 394km/h effort.
Since then, various iterations of the Veyron and its immediate successor, the Chiron, have reset that benchmark time and time again. The fastest of which, the Chiron Super Sport, takes the cake at 489km/h – tantalisingly close to the 500km/h mark.
Soon it will be time for an all-new generation to take the baton from the Chiron. This new vehicle will benefit from the merger of Bugatti and Rimac, headed by Croatian Mate Rimac, with a hybrid system utilising Rimac’s advanced batteries and a new engine configuration.
Previous videos have shown the quad-turbo W16 has been forsaken for a V16 layout, with a very unique and spine-tingling sound. Engineering Explained’s Jason Fenske tries to piece together the particulars of this engine using available clues below:
In the meantime, spy shots have started to emerge, including this one from Top Gear, previewing the new hypercar, bearing only a passing resemblance to the outgoing Chiron. The C-shaped motif along the side, feeding the air inlet is present and accounted for but with a more lithe and athletic shape.
The car’s overall appearance suggests more compact proportions. A deployable rear spoiler/air brake appears to be part of the picture too. Nine-spoke alloys hide big carbon ceramic brakes to ensure the car can slow down from subsonic speeds.
Will this new Bugatti be the first to crack the 500km/h mark? Or will they bow out of the top speed wars once and for all? We’ll bring you more news as it comes to hand.
This is your first look at Bugatti’s V16-engined successor to the Chiron. We’ve got hold of a spy shot of Bugatti’s next hypercar, and it looks… colourful → https://t.co/swGT4wu3St pic.twitter.com/RMmfcJkp6c
— Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) April 26, 2024
