Bugatti reveals its next-gen V16 hybrid engine
Chiron successor will continue with 16 petrol-powered cylinders, but in a different configuration – and electrifiedUPDATED 14/05/2024 11:00am: Bugatti-Rimac CEO Mate Rimac has revealed the new Bugatti hypercar’s V16 hybrid powertrain will be naturally-aspirated and reports out of Europe suggest it will displace 8.3 litres across its 16 cylinders and output more than 746kW by itself.
Other reports claim the new V16 will be supported by three electric motors, all fed by an externally rechargeable battery pack, thereby making it Bugatti’s first-ever plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The three motors are all said to be good for about 250kW, combining for an EV-only power output of 750kW – on top of the 746kW-plus V16.
The official total output of the entire V16 PHEV unit remains to be seen, but a kiloWatt count north of 1300kW – or even 1500kW – looks certain.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 01/03/2024: Speculation surrounding what will power Bugatti’s next-generation hypercar has been answered, with the French brand confirming it will be an all-new V16 hybrid powertrain.
The news is somewhat surprising, as it was thought Bugatti may continue to extend the life of its existing W16 engine with hybridisation or turn pure-electric, especially given the company is now owned and run by EV specialist Rimac, the firm behind the record-setting Nevera electric hypercar.
Details are currently few, with the car set to be revealed for the first time in June, but Bugatti’s press release confirms it will be hybrid and, given Rimac’s expertise in batteries and motors, presumably heavily so.
The short video accompanying the release reveals the successor for the Bugatti Chiron
will have a very different character – a screaming, high-revving, motorsport-style soundtrack to replace the W16’s deep and guttural growl.
Mate Rimac provided further details in an Instagram post, saying that complete new powertrains have been running on dynos since November 2022 and that “there are many more such surprises waiting with the rest of the car”.
Such a radical powertrain is fitting for a brand with a history of unusual engine choices, from the 12.8-litre straight-eight in the monstrous Bugatti Royale to the 3.5-litre quad-turbo V12 in the EB110 and the giant 8.0-litre quad-turbo engine introduced with the Veyron and subsequently refined for the Chiron.
Expect total outputs to increase beyond the Chiron’s stratospheric 1103kW/1600Nm figures and performance is also likely to improve, making the new Bugatti among the world’s quickest accelerating cars.
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