Bugatti previews track-bred hypercar

Bugatti has teased its upcoming track-focused hypercar by releasing a picture of its naked powertrain.

The image shows neither body nor platform but focuses on the incredible 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 engine that powers the current Bugatti Chiron.

The French hypercar marque released the image with the caption "what if Bugatti created a track-focused thoroughbred …?" but gave no more detail of what's set to be its wildest creation yet.

Set to follow in the tyre tracks of the Bugatti Centodieci and Chiron Sport 300+, the new supermodel is expected to feature an all-new body that has been honed in the wind tunnel, not for ultimate top speed but for the quickest downforce.

Spy shots circulating the internet suggest that, in the flesh, the result will be a hypercar that looks like it should be racing at Le Mans, with a prominent dorsal fin, roof scoop and low-slung body.

The new track-focused Bugatti is also set to weigh in hundreds of kilos less than a typical leather-lined Chiron.

Interestingly, the new teaser clearly shows that, despite its track bias, the yet-to-be-named new model will still feature all-wheel drive.

This suggests that even with the motorsport aero, stripped-out interior and lightweight construction, the car could still be legal to use on public roads.

This would give the new Bugatti a significant advantage over rivals like the Aston Martin Vulcan and McLaren P1 GTR that are not permitted to be used on roads without significant modifications.

There's no official word yet on power output for the new Bugatti, but it's believed it will match the latest Chiron Super Sport 300+ that produces an incredible 1177kW.

Stay tuned, because all will be revealed tomorrow when Bugatti pulls the drapes off what could be the final hypercar made under Volkswagen ownership.