Bugatti may present a hypercar with more basic features, being lighter and equipped with a manual transmission. In an interview given to Top Gear magazine this Monday (26), Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, clarified that the Tourbillon functions as a platform, not as an exclusive model, indicating that there will be other future variations.
When questioned about the possibility of one of these versions having a manual gearbox, Rimac stated categorically: 'Certainly. You can bet on it.' Although this statement does not confirm a new model, it is the second time in two months that the executive has addressed the topic; in August, during the Monterey Car Week in the United States, he had already mentioned a V16 with a genuine manual gearbox.
Currently, the Tourbillon integrates an 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine, generating 1,000 hp and 91.8 kgfm, capable of reaching 9,000 rpm, along with three electric motors and a 25 kWh battery, totaling 1,800 hp.
According to Top Gear, if the vehicle were stripped of the electrical system and the dual-clutch automatic gearbox, its weight would decrease by approximately 300 kg from the current 1,995 kg, while maintaining the 1,000 hp of the V16.
The main technical obstacle would be developing a manual transmission capable of handling such power. This feature would mark a return to using three pedals in Bugatti, something that had not occurred since the EB110, which was discontinued in 1995 and was sold only with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Rimac associates the freedom for such proposals with the autonomy of the brand, given that the Rimac Group and an consortium of investors have assumed full control of Bugatti, removing the participation of Porsche and the Volkswagen Group.
For him, in contrast to the aggressive approach adopted by Bugatti in the last twenty years, the brand could focus on something more immersive and similar to the Type 35, a racing car from the 1920s.
Interested parties should not be disappointed, as the 250 units of the Tourbillon, priced at about R$ 24 million (3.8 million euros), were sold even before production began, which is scheduled to extend until 2029.