Mate Rimac wasn’t about to let Bugatti’s next hypercar go all-electric. The Tourbillon was supposed to ditch internal combustion altogether, but Rimac fought to keep a proper engine in the mix. His persistence paid off. Instead of silence, the new Bugatti packs a massive V16, and it’s anything but subtle. A prototype hit the Nardò test track, wrapped in camouflage, but nobody was paying attention to the visuals. Rimac shared a clip of the test run, and all eyes—or ears—were on the sound. The engine roared through the circuit, a deep, mechanical growl that cut through the air. “And yes, this is how the production car will sound,” confirmed Rimac. If anyone in town wasn’t awake before, they were now. The V16’s thunderous note echoed across southern Italy, proving once again that Bugatti isn’t done making noise. Read More A110 R Ultime Laps Nürburgring 20 Seconds Faster Than Standard R V16 That Refuses to Be Silenced The Tourbillon could have gone fully electric, but instead, it gets a naturally aspirated 8.3-litre V16. “Hopefully we can keep it soft-limiter free,” Mate Rimac said. Developed with Cosworth, the engine revs to 9,000 rpm, making it one of the highest-revving production cars ever. Alone, it produces 986 bhp. Three electric motors—two up front, one in the rear—push the total output to 1,775 bhp. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sends all that power to all four wheels. From a standstill, the Tourbillon reaches 62 mph in 2.0 seconds, 124 mph in under five, and 186 mph in less than ten. It hits 249 mph in under 25 seconds and keeps going until it reaches an estimated top speed of 277 mph. The 24.8 kWh battery, built into the monocoque, allows for 37 miles of electric-only driving. But its real job is instant torque. “What a car. I don’t think we understand yet what we have built. This will be one for the history books,” the brand's CEO added in a post. Prototype Hides the Details, Not the Speed Bugatti isn’t fooling anyone with the camouflage. The Tourbillon prototype making the rounds online looks like a mystery, but Mate Rimac explains there’s a simple reason for it. The test version was built before the official unveiling, and early prototypes, as he said, were “rough, not beautifully finished Bugattis.” Read More Porsche 911 Dakar Returns in 2026 with GTS Hybrid Power But the one thing Bugatti isn’t hiding? The way it moves. A recent video of the Tourbillon launching down a track had some viewers convinced the footage was sped up. It wasn’t. That’s just what happens when you unleash a V16 hypercar with 1,775 bhp. Only 250 units of Tourbillon will roll off the production. Deliveries start in 2026, and each one will cost around $4 million. Source: Mate Rimac | Instagram
