What would the late Ferdinand Piëch, the Volkswagen Group overlord and mastermind behind the original Veyron, think of the newest Bugatti? Well, he certainly wouldn’t be disappointed by the power. Unveiled earlier this week, the Bugatti Tourbillon is a 1,800HP beast that arrives complete with a V16 naturally aspirated unit, three electric motors and a healthy dose of luxury thrown in for good measure.
“Icons like the Type 57SC Atlantic, renowned as the most beautiful car in the world, the Type 35, the most successful racing car ever, and the Type 41 Royale, one of the most ambitious luxury cars of all time, provide our three pillars of inspiration,” Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti said. “Beauty, performance and luxury formed the blueprint for the Tourbillon; a car that was more elegant, more emotive and more luxurious than anything before it. Quite simply, incomparable. And just like those icons of the past, it wouldn’t be simply for the present, or even for the future, but Pour l’éternité – for eternity.”
2024 Bugatti Tourbillon
- Make: Bugatti
- Model: 2024 Tourbillon
- Power Output: 1,800hp
- Maximum Speed: 380 km/h (236 mph) limited
- Range: 60km electric only
- Price: £3.2 million
Importantly, the Tourbillon is more than just a reboot of the philosophy used in the Veyron or Chiron; rather, it takes the hypercar to a new stratosphere. After merging with Rimac in 2021, the automotive world was expecting another electric hypercar, but Bugatti has indeed surprised us all with a beguiling choice of powertrain and a deliberate step into analogue territory.
For watch fans, the name Tourbillon will sound familiar. A terminology used to describe a highly complicated movement added to luxury timepieces to improve accuracy, the tourbillon was first made famous by Swiss-French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet in the early 1800s. More than 200 years on, it remains one of the industry’s greatest accomplishments and fittingly, Bugatti is following suit, most notably with a refreshed steering wheel design.
Bugatti Tourbillon Sterring Wheel Design
The cluster, which weighs only 700g, is made up of more than 600 parts crafted from titanium and gemstones such as sapphire and ruby. This remarkable feat of engineering is fixed in place as the steering hub rotates around it, mirroring the rotating axis of a tourbillon watch movement. The driver display and console switches, made from crystal glass and aluminium, are exposed to reveal their intricate detailing, while the knurled switchgear is juxtaposed by a screen that discreetly pops up when required.
Once this handy addition is activated, a rear camera puts the screen in portrait and turns it into full landscape mode in five seconds. Amidst all this luxury, Bugatti has somehow managed to maintain a steely-eyed focus on saving weight. The seats are fixed to the floor, and only the pedal box is adjustable, with even the audio system arriving devoid of traditional speakers or woofers.
Bugatti Tourbillon Engine & Performance
With a fiendishly complicated plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Tourbillon is not as heavy as you would think and weighs less than the Chiron with its turbo W16 engine. The naturally aspirated V16 has been developed with Cosworth and revs to a superbike-challenging 9000 rpm to go along with its 1,000 horses. Once the three electric motors chime in, you’ve got another 800 bhp at your disposal, bringing the total to a colossal 1,800 bhp.
An 8-speed dual-clutch transmission has been tasked with reigning in this much power, and not surprisingly, 0-100 km/h takes place in just 2 seconds, with Bugatti claiming a top speed of 445 km/h. However, more than the crazy performance, the electric-only range of about 60km will mean that most owners will trundle along city streets in utmost silence.
Design & Exterior
Elsewhere, the new chassis and suspension are much lighter than previous Bugatti releases, courtesy of the carbon composites and 3D-printed components. In essence, nothing has been carried over from the automaker’s past supercars, with Bugatti instead choosing to introduce new brake-by-wire systems and custom Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tyres, which will not last much after a top-speed run, we would guess.
Interestingly, Christophe Piochon, president of Bugatti, was keen to stress that the new release is not some trick pony. While speed and power are certainly the key factors at play, the Tourbillon’s emphasis on ergonomics and lightness cannot be discounted. Unlike the Veyron, the top speed of the Tourbillon is only a part of the allure. We think it looks more purposeful too but we would have loved a more differentiation over the Chiron at the front but the dihedral doors along with the Mistral like rear add in a lot of drama.
“The Bugatti Tourbillon represents the latest creation in our relentless pursuit of perfection,” Christophe Piochon, president of Bugatti said. “With the Tourbillon, we pay tribute to the vision of Ettore Bugatti, melding the beauty, luxury, and performance that define our heritage. The Bugatti world premiere events reaffirm our commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive innovation and craftsmanship, creating icons that stand the test of time.”
2024 Bugatti Tourbillon Expected Pricing and Availability
Only 250 Bugatti Tourbillons will be produced, however, you can expect a roadster version to follow suit, alongside a myriad of more powerful limited editions planned. For now, the Tourbillon is the most powerful hypercar out there with first deliveries starting from 2026 at around £3.2 million (AUD$6 million) each.
