- The innovative new engine could rev to 9,000 rpm and be supplemented by three electric motors.
- Despite the sheer size of the engine, the Chiron successor appears relatively compact.
- The firm’s boss says it has gone with a V16 because of the emotion it provides.
Mate Rimac has confirmed Bugatti’s new V16 is a naturally aspirated unit approximately 1 meter (39.3 inches) long that will work alongside a powerful hybrid system in the Chiron’s long-awaited successor.
Bugatti teased its new V16 in February but provided few details about it. Bugatti-Rimac boss Mate Rimac spoke about the engine at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference in London, confirming the V16 will be void of turbochargers, like the quad-turbo setups of the EB110, Veyron, and Chiron. Measuring almost 1 meter (over 3 feet) in length, it’ll be about 400 mm (16 inches) longer than the engine of the Chiron.
Read: New Bugatti Hypercar Gets A Huge V16 Hybrid Engine And It Sounds Amazing
Rimac has not said how much power the engine will produce. However, he acknowledged that the company could have achieved similar power figures with a turbocharged V8 but wanted an engine with more emotion.
“You can achieve the power figures we have with the V16 from a very highly turbocharged V8, but we wanted to have it very emotional,” he told Autocar. “It has to feel special, because ‘if it is comparable, it is no longer Bugatti’.”
An Auto Motor und Sport report claims the V16 has been co-developed with Cosworth, will rev to 9,000 rpm, and displace 8.3 liters. The publication claims the engine alone will produce approximately 1,000 hp, while a trio of electric motors, each with 340 hp, will also be fitted. All up, the Chiron’s successor could produce around 1,800 hp. Power will be sent through all four wheels thanks to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
This same source also claims the car will hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2 seconds, 124 mph (200 km/h) in less than 5 seconds, 186 mph (300 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and reach 249 mph (400 km/h) in under 25 seconds. The current 0-249 mph record is held by the Koenigsegg Regera at 20.68 seconds. Bugatti could cap the top speed of the standard model to 276 mph (445 km/h).
A pair of images of a heavily-disguised Bugatti prototype gave us our best opportunity to see the car last month. These photos showed the car will be similar in size to the Chiron but even sleeker, despite having to support that massive engine.
