A remarkable change of era is approaching at Bugatti. After almost two decades of continuous use of its massive 16-cylinder “W” gasoline engine block, the firm already contemplates the future replacement of this in favor of an electrified mechanics. During the event held in Monterey (California), the media Coach has been able to conduct an interview with the main designers of the brand, who have given subtle but outstanding touches on what will soon arrive in the ranks of the French brand.
From Bugatti they have a goal set in the year 2027, which will be none other than launching the one that will be called to replace the current Bugatti Chiron and all the models launched around it. It is now official that the future model will leave aside the W16 engine used until now. However, it will continue to install a heat engine “somewhat smaller” than the aforementioned block, but notably supported by deep electrification.
This new vehicle, as stated by the brand’s current design managers, will debut a new chassis that is more rigid, but at the same time lighter and thinner than the one currently used in the Chiron and other models based on it. This, in parallel, will provide “new opportunities” in terms of interior space, exterior design and, above all, in giving the model an extra “athleticism” with respect to the present hypercar, although “it will not lose an iota of sovereignty or majesty”Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt said in his interview.
The deep knowledge that those responsible have about every detail of their current cars means that they can anticipate “possible limitations or problems that such a drastic generational change may bring.” However, for the arrival of the expected model in 2027 “they will have their homework done”.
Despite the fact that the guys from Autocar have had an in-depth conversation with those responsible for the brand’s design, these They have been very reserved when it comes to advancing design details that the electrified generational replacement for the Bugatti Chiron will have. However, apparently and according to certain non-specific details, this future vehicle is expected to be closer in terms of aesthetic and aerodynamic advances to what Aston Martin proposes with its hybrid hypercar, the Valkyrie.
According to what Frank Heyl, deputy director of design at Bugatti, stated during his interview, the new model “it will be even more amazing than the recently introduced Bugatti Mistral”, to which he added a suggestion to the brand’s followers: “trust us”. The manager added that “it is going to be an amazing car technologically, in terms of innovation. It’s going to absolutely blow people away, and it’s a real joy to work on this.”
Due to these statements, he was asked if he could share any signs of the aesthetics of the future Bugatti compared to a current electrified hypercar, such as the Mercedes-AMG One, to which Anscheidt replied that “If it were comparable, it would no longer be a Bugatti”.
Frank Heyl admitted that the new mechanical technology has been a challenge for the design of the modelsince batteries provide additional weight, so “you need to reconsider the architecture of the entire car.”
Finally, Aldo Maria Sica, Bugatti’s interior designer, confirmed that the passenger compartment will not receive a groundbreaking renovationbut rather it will be an evolution of the current interior that Bugatti proposes in its current models, with top quality materials and a very minimalist dashboard.
The interview culminated in the confirmation that the electrified replacement for the Bugatti Chiron is more than likely to hit the market for a starting price above 5 million euros that costs the recently presented Bugatti Mistral.
