Chiron

Make
Bugatti
Segment
Coupe

It's weird to say a vehicle as advanced as the Bugatti Chiron is an old school kind of supercar, but the successor to the Veyron is a far different beast when compared to its hypercar contemporaries. Whereas Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche and Koenigsegg are all dabbling in gasoline-electric hybrid power, Bugatti decided to stick to its W16 guns with the Chiron. That is at least for the time being. Autocar is suggesting a hybrid version could very well be in the cards.

According to Bugatti's president, Wolfgang Durheimer, an electric supplement to the Bugatti Chiron's 1,480-hp quad-turbo motor is "under consideration for now." Any such system falling under that umbrella would only be used to improve the car's already ballistic performance. As a result, should a hybrid Chiron go on sale at some point, don't go anticipating any "x amount of miles solely on EV power" statistics being spouted by Bugatti. Instead, expect the incredible acceleration figures to plummet (as in become better by going lower) when the electric motor assistance is thrown into the equation. Even if the motors only increase output by 10% that's still another 148 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque at the Chiron's disposal.

Just because a hybrid Chiron is under consideration doesn't mean it will happen. Even when you factor out the packaging concerns that may put such a project in jeopardy, it was suggested that Bugatti could engineer the components required to boost the W16's power sans hybridization. Such a feat isn't alien to the firm. Only 5% of the Chiron's engine is cross-compatible with the Veyron's. as Durheimer revealed to Autocar, "If we can get the power out of the engine, we do not need a hybrid component." Since the Chiron's bound to be made even faster at a later date, it'll be interesting to see how Bugatti will end up eking out even more oomph from its monstrous powertrain.