Following Bugatti‘s merger with Rimac, automotive enthusiasts are patiently waiting to see what Mate Rimac has in mind for the iconic Molsheim brand. It has now been officially confirmed that the new Bugatti hypercar will be a clean sheet design, fitted with a Rimac-developed hybrid combustion engine.
Speaking to Auto Express, Mate Rimac described the new powertrain as “totally bonkers”, adding that: “everybody will be blown away when they see what we did”. Interestingly, Rimac started working on the new combustion engine on their own, two years before the merger with Bugatti, having a clear vision for the successor of the Chiron. While Bugatti initially planned for an electric CUV similar to the Ferrari Purosangue, Rimac “immediately stopped” this prospect when he took over, going for an electrified combustion-engined hypercar instead.
Read: Bugatti Explains Why It Decided Against Building An SUV
When Mate Rimac confirmed a new ICE-powered Bugatti earlier this year, we thought that the model would use a new version of the monstrous W16 engine. However, it seems that there is more to it than a simple update, as the new hypercar won’t be sharing any components with its predecessor.
Speaking about the new Bugatti, Mate Rimac said: “It will be hypercar rearranged as a hybrid. It’s completely new, so there is not one part carried over from any car – nothing carried over from Chiron, nothing carried over from Nevera. Everything is from scratch”. Those comments show that Rimac takes the future of Bugatti quite seriously, willing to invest heavily in R&D instead of taking the easy road of shared development between the two brands.
Will there be enough differentiation between Bugatti and Rimac?
While some fear that the two hypercar makers might become more similar after the merger, the CEO ensures there is enough differentiation between them, accentuated by the different technology used in Bugatti and Rimac models, and the distinct character of each brand.
He went on to describe Bugatti as more luxurious and aristocratic, with “combustion engines for the foreseeable future” and a more beautiful design including features like analog instruments. On the other hand, he wants Rimac to be “absolutely insane, bonkers” with fully electric powertrains and “futuristic stuff” including “autonomous drift modes”. To sum up, Bugatti will take the direction of “beautiful art” honoring its illustrious past, while Rimac will be about “bending physics”.
Those who are excited to see what the new Bugatti will look like, won’t have to wait long, as Mate Rimac hinted at a debut next year. Earlier reports suggested that the successor of the Chiron would arrive by 2024, which means that the project is in the last leg of development.
