With the EV market cooling, hybrids are the hot ticket – and even hypercar brand Bugatti is getting into the game. For just $4 million you can drive off with the new, 1,800-horsepower Bugatti Tourbillion, the first new product from the French automaker since it was taken over by Croatia’s Rimac.
The Bugatti Tourbillion shows off its gull-wing doors.
Ever since the legendary Bugatti badge was brought back to life with the launch of the Veyron hypercar in 2005 it has delivered mindboggling performance numbers. The Veyron broke the 1,000-horsepower barrier, its successor, the Chiron, pushing up to 1,500 ponies before ending its production run. Now, the French automaker is taking things to new extremes with the launch of the 1,800-hp Bugatti Tourbillion.
The new model marks a significant milestone for the company. Spun off by Volkswagen in 2021, Tourbillion is the first product developed under its new owner, Rimac. While that Croatian hypercar company has, until now, produced a string of exotic electrics – like the Nevera – the Bugatti Tourbillion gets a new hybrid powertrain.
But don’t think Bugatti is suddenly focusing on fuel economy.
By the numbers
Bugatti Tourbillion can hit 62 mph, according to the factory, in 2.0 seconds.
For those who speak French, the new model’s name is doubly appropriate, translating into “whirlwind” – though the term has also been used to describe the special gears used in high-end watches.
The Bugatti Tourbillion’s 1,801 horsepower will launch from to 100 kmh, or 62 mph, in a factory-estimated 2.0 seconds, while reaching 300 kmh, or 186 mph, in 10.0. Top speed is a reported 236 miles per hour – which jumps to 277 mph if you use the new “speed key.”
If the latter figure is accurate, we can expect Bugatti to take a shot at the Aspark SP600. That Japanese hypercar recently toppled the Rimac Nevera’s record as the world’s fastest battery-electric vehicle with a run of 272.59 miles per hour.
Oh, and one other number stands out: the new Bugatti Tourbillion can get as much as 37 miles range in all-electric mode.
Powertrain
Tourbillion pairs three electric motors with its updated V-16 gas engine.
To be more precise, Tourbillion is a plug-in hybrid.
It starts out with the familiar Bugatti 16-cylinder engine, though it has undergone extensive rework with the assistance of British racing and powertrain specialist Cosworth. Significantly, Tourbillion is naturally aspirated. The electric side of the drivetrain replaces the quad turbos used on the old Bugatti Chiron. Power is delivered to all four wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The V-16 side of the system punches out an impressive 1,000 hp, and can rev up to 9,000 RPMs. The electric drive package utilizes three separate motors, two on the front axle, another on the rear. Each can spin up to 24,000 RPMs and, in combination, they produce a peak 800 hp.
The motors draw power from a 25-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted in Tourbillion’s center tunnel.
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Under the skin
The Bugatti Tourbillion will carry a $4.1 million price tag.
Tourbillion measures 183.9 inches in total length, with a wheelbase of 107.8 inches. It stands 46.81 inches in height, with a width of 80.75 inches – excluding the sideview mirrors. The plug-in hypercar weighs in at 4,500 pounds.
Bugatti engineers took a number of steps to hold down mass, among other things using a T800 carbon composite for the chassis. Key elements were integrated into the structure of the vehicle, including the battery pack and even the diffuser which replaces a conventional front beam used to absorb crash forces. Both the front and rear frames were produced using the latest 3D printing technology.
For Tourbillion’s suspension, Bugatti turned to Divergent Technologies to create 3D-printed suspension components. The forged aluminum multi-link setup is claimed to be 45% lighter than the layout on the Chiron.
Targeting the emotions
Just 250 copies of the Bugatti Tourbillion will be produced.
The powertrain is intended to deliver a “more emotional” experience than Chiron’s turbocharged technology, according to Rimac’s eponymous founder and CEO Mate Rimac. A key benefit of the system is the instant torque delivered by electric motors. But the overall vehicle is designed to create a visceral reaction,
Tourbillion features what Bugatti calls a “skeletonized” design, key mechanical components visible to the driver and passenger.
Design
The exterior design won’t come as a shock to Bugatti fans. Tourbillion retains the familiar horseshoe grille – which dates back to the brand’s iconic founder Eiorre Bugatti – a central spine and C-shaped body elements. It also retains the signature two-tone paint scheme.
Tourbillion’s watch-like gauge cluster.
The interior is lavishly appointed, and adds some distinctive touches, including a watch-like, two-handed instrument display. The larger hand reads out the hypercar’s speed, the smaller hand its RPMs.
There is a digital display, as well, and it even features Apple CarPlay. But the screen remains tucked away unless and until the driver turns it on.
“The Tourbillon had to be incomparable in every respect,” said Bugatti Chief Technology Officer Emilio Scervo. “Our philosophy has been to take any single aspect of Chiron and elevate it, looking for elegant and sophisticated engineering solutions and new technologies to deliver a timeless masterpiece.”
Pricing and availability
Plans call for the production of 250 copies of the Bugatti Tourbillion, each at $4.1 million.
The cars will be produced at the company’s Molsheim, France plant, all but entirely by hand.
Final testing is still underway – and few would be surprised to see parent Rimac send out the Tourbillion to first challenge the Aspark for the EV speed record.
First customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026.
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