Bugatti, renowned for its unmatched prowess in the automotive world, has expanded its legacy by entering the realm of high-end horology. The Bugatti Tourbillon, a masterful blend of engineering and artistry, is not just a timepiece but a testament to the brand's commitment to excellence and innovation.
An Icon of Engineering
The Bugatti Tourbillon is a hybrid hypercar, boasting an impressive 1775 horsepower. It features a V16 engine, a rarity in modern hypercars, which highlights Bugatti's dedication to maintaining traditional automotive grandeur while incorporating hybrid technology. This powerful combination allows the car to deliver unparalleled performance, ensuring that it stands out even among the most advanced electric hypercars.
Powertrain and Performance
The Bugatti W16 engine was unlike any other automotive engine in the world when it was revealed. With its four turbos and prodigious power figures, it set a new benchmark for the limits of combustion engine technology, and two decades after its creation, it’s still unmatched or replicated. Following in its footsteps is another incomparable masterpiece of internal combustion engineering, paired with the immediate torque and flexibility of electric motors.
This next-generation Bugatti hyper sports car is powered by an all-new 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine – engineered with the help of Cosworth – paired with a front e-axle with two electric motors and one electric motor mounted at the rear axle. In total, the Tourbillon produces 1,800 hp with 1,000 from the combustion engine itself and 800 hp from the electric motors. It’s an extraordinary achievement – delivered thanks to a host of cutting-edge materials and technology – given the Veyron achieved 1,001 hp from its 8.0-liter capacity engine with four turbochargers, and the new V16 is completely naturally aspirated. Constructed from lightweight materials, the engine weighs just 252 kg.
The electric motors are powered by a 25 kWh oil-cooled 800V battery housed in the central tunnel and behind the passengers. With four-wheel-drive and full torque-vectoring, it offers ultimate traction and agility. The front e-axle houses two electric motors, with a further motor on the rear axle, for a total of 800 hp from the electric powertrain system. The electric powertrain, with the electric motors spinning up to 24,000 RPM and a fully integrated dual silicon-carbide inverter, is amongst the most power-dense in the world. The e-axles are delivering over 6 kW per kg of e-axle mass, including inverters, motors, and gearboxes. While power, throttle response, and torque-fill are priorities for the electric powertrain, the relatively large energy content of 25 kWh allows for a very usable all-electric range of more than 60 km (37 miles).
In the automotive industry, it is expected that each new model is heavier than its predecessor. Especially in case the new model adds a hybrid powertrain or more performance. But with a new Bugatti, the unexpected should be the norm. The Tourbillon boasts significantly improved performance, a very powerful electric powertrain system, a large battery pack and yet, it weighs less than the Chiron, which is a testament to the incredible engineering behind the Tourbillon. With its lightweight construction and instantaneous torque from the electric motors, the Bugatti Tourbillon delivers extraordinary performance.
Thanks to the combination of an extremely advanced hybrid powertrain and lightweight engineering, efficient packaging, and advanced aerodynamics, the Tourbillon will be reducing significantly the emissions in comparison to its predecessor but still enhancing the driving experience and bringing to new levels the pinnacle of the automotive industry.
Emilio Scervo, Bugatti CTO, said: “The Tourbillon had to be incomparable in every respect. 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. We wanted someone to be able to take any piece of this car, from inside, outside or under the skin, and believe that it could be placed in an art gallery. The result is a car which is beautiful inside and outside, the most powerful Bugatti to date which simultaneously elevates mechanical fascination and technical beauty to a whole new level.
The powertrain was perhaps the most important decision that we had to make, considering every option available to us; reengineering the W16, going fully electric or creating something entirely new. Ultimately, we chose the hardest possible option, creating a powertrain from scratch and pairing it seamlessly with a complex system of e-motors, a new generation eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox and more, all developed from the ground up specifically for the Tourbillon. But it was important to us that this car retained that pure and raw analogue feel of a naturally aspirated combustion engine, while pairing it with the agility and ability provided by electric motors.
We have already heard what it sounds like when this car reaches its 9,000rpm redline under full throttle, and it is a visceral, awe-inspiring experience that will echo for eternity. With the Tourbillon, we have engineered a car that delivers the best of combustion technology and electrification; free from compromises and built with a timeless dedication to creating a memorable driving experience.”
Engineering Marvels
The Tourbillon is designed around an entirely new chassis and body structure. The structure is made from a next-generation T800 carbon composite, which incorporates a number of weight-saving innovations, such as integrating the battery as a structural part of the monocoque and an unprecedented crash composite rear diffuser, inspired by top-level motorsport. The front composite air ducts that flow through the front of the car are also integral to the structure, ensuring that each and every part of the rigid, lightweight structure is optimized. For example, the front and rear frames exhibit low-pressure thin-wall aluminum casting and 3D-printed structural braces, contributing to a structure that is significantly lighter and stiffer than its predecessor.
The completely new chassis integrates multi-link suspension front and rear, forged from aluminum, moving on from the double wishbone steel construction found in the Chiron. By opting for a new organic-designed suspension arm and upright, 3D-printed in aluminum, engineers have saved 45% in suspension weight compared with the Chiron. The rear also features an AI-developed 3D-printed hollow airfoil arm to enhance vehicle dynamics and aerodynamic performance.
The brakes are equally advanced, featuring the ultimate carboceramic technology. A bespoke brake-by-wire system is introduced, fully integrated with the moveable pedal box, and blended seamlessly through an integrated vehicle non-linear controller developed by Bugatti to the hybrid powertrain. Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tires – 285/35 R20 at the front and 345/30 R21 at the rear – are a bespoke development for the Tourbillon.
Within the new chassis, the new ultra-compact and lightweight front e-axle with dual independent motors, including the dual-inverter, fits within the same package space that was available in Chiron, adding more complexity without requiring more space. Designers and engineers also freed up more storage space and a larger luggage component, as part of the clean-sheet chassis and bodyshell design, allowing owners to fit a set of bespoke Bugatti Tourbillon luggage.
Coming in 2026
Mate Rimac, Bugatti CEO, said: “We look back through Bugatti history at the creations of Ettore and Jean and you can immediately see that they refused to compromise. The number of patents Ettore had to his name was incredible, because he didn’t ever want the simplest solution, he always wanted the best solution, even if it didn’t exist yet. He’d go away and he’d build it, test it, and refine it until it was perfect. And then he’d make it beautiful. It is why the cars are so revered today, and it is the driving force behind everything we have done with Tourbillon.
“So yes, it is crazy to build a new V16 engine, to integrate it with a new battery pack and electric motors and to have a real Swiss-made watchmaker instrument cluster and 3D-printed suspension parts and a Crystal Glass center console. But it is what Ettore would have done, and it is what makes a Bugatti incomparable and timeless. Without that kind of ambition, you might create a great hyper sports car, but you wouldn’t create an icon Pour l’éternité.”
The Bugatti Tourbillon now enters its testing phase, with prototypes already on the road in anticipation of customer deliveries in 2026. A total of 250 examples will be built, with a starting price of 3.8 million EUR net. Hand-assembly will take place at the Bugatti Atelier in Molsheim, following the final W16-powered Bugatti models, Bolide and W16 Mistral.
By merging the worlds of high-performance automobiles and luxury timepieces, Bugatti continues to push the boundaries of innovation, offering enthusiasts an unparalleled experience that transcends traditional categories of luxury.
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