The Tourbillon’s combustion V16 is rated at 973 hp on its own, compared with the car’s combined output of 1,800 hp. Top Gear’s technical description puts the naturally aspirated 8,355cc engine at 986 bhp, with 664 lb-ft of torque and a 9,000-rpm redline. Developed with Cosworth, it has a crankshaft roughly one metre long. In an interview with Top Gear, Mate Rimac raised the possibility of a Tourbillon-based Bugatti without electrification and fitted with a genuine manual gearbox. For now, it is an idea, not a confirmed model.
Rimac called the Tourbillon a logical successor to the Chiron, then questioned what Bugatti should do next. The production car pairs its V16 with three electric motors: two sit at the front axle, while the third is at the rear. It also has a 25-kWh battery and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The hybrid system produces approximately 1,800 hp, and the car is claimed to offer around 37 miles of electric range. Rimac suggested one alternative: a lighter, simpler car drawing on the spirit of the Type 35, rather than the high-powered approach associated with the brand over the past 20 years.
The mechanical change would be large. The Veyron and Chiron used a quad-turbo W16; the Tourbillon pairs its naturally aspirated V16 with electrification. Removing the electric motors and battery would fit Rimac’s stated interest in reducing weight. A real manual gearbox would also put the driver more directly in control. Secondary reports have estimated that removing hybrid components could cut roughly 300 kilograms, but Bugatti has not published that figure as a specification. The Tourbillon weighs about 1,995 kilograms.
Rimac has floated the manual-gearbox idea before. In an earlier interview with Road & Track, he discussed a genuine manual rather than an electronically simulated shift mode. RUSSPAIN has covered another kind of automotive reinvention in its Lexus art-car report; this Bugatti proposal focuses on the powertrain and driving experience.
Rimac’s comments do not commit Bugatti to production. The company has not announced a model name. It has set no launch timing or price, and has disclosed no allocation or market availability. The proposal remains a possible future variant of the Tourbillon platform, whose existing hybrid powertrain combines the V16 with three motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
