Bugatti has built its reputation on making cars that push performance to absurd extremes, but Mate Rimac is considering a different approach for the brand's future. The company's boss has hinted that the Cosworth V16-engined Tourbillon isn't just a hypercar but a platform, with future derivatives potentially allowing Molsheim to broaden its horizons.

On that note, spin-offs or separate models could include a lighter, more engaging derivative, potentially ditching the hybrid hardware and dual-clutch transmission for a good old-fashioned combustion engine hooked up to a manual transmission. Speaking to Top Gear magazine, Rimac said that, with Bugatti freed from the Volkswagen Group's corporate shackles, it can now think outside the box.

Asked whether Bugatti might install a manual transmission, Rimac was enthusiastic: "Absolutely. You bet." While that doesn't confirm a three-pedal hypercar is coming, the fact that the company is even considering it likely has one-percenters throwing blank checks at Rimac. The "regular" Tourbillon sold out before production even began, so we don't need a crystal ball to imagine a pure ICE, three-pedal version being an instant hit with the super-rich.

Ditching the three electric motors, the dual-clutch transmission, and especially the 25-kWh battery would also make the car much lighter, which would certainly bode well for the driving experience. If I were in a position to afford one, I'd gladly forgo the extra power provided by the hybrid setup in favor of a pure V16 with a stick. Collectors would also line up on the spot to buy one, as it's easy to imagine these cars being worth more than the hybrid Tourbillon 20 to 30 years from now.

Source link