BUGATTI TOURBILLON IS A V16 MASTERPIECE OF TIMELESS ENGINEERING
The Bugatti Tourbillon is Bugatti's successor to the Chiron and the most technically ambitious hypercar the Molsheim manufacturer has ever built. Powered by a naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V16 engine developed with Cosworth, combined with three electric motors for a total of 1,800 hp, the Tourbillon is limited to 250 hand-built examples at a starting price of 3.8 million euros.
Why Is It Called the Tourbillon?
The name comes from the tourbillon, a rotating cage mechanism invented in 1801 by Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet to counteract the effect of gravity on precision timepieces. Bugatti chose the name to symbolise the car's own mechanical complexity and the idea that its engineering is a form of horological art in motion. The interior reinforces this connection: the bespoke instrument cluster was designed in collaboration with Swiss watchmakers and uses analogue displays rather than screens, a deliberate rejection of digital interfaces in favour of enduring craftsmanship.
The V16 Engine: 1,000 hp Naturally Aspirated
The heart of the Tourbillon is a new 8,355 cc naturally aspirated V16 with a bore and stroke of 92 mm x 78.55 mm. Developed with Cosworth, the engine produces 1,000 PS (986 hp) and 900 Nm of torque on its own. It redlines beyond 9,000 rpm, producing the kind of high-frequency acoustic signature that no turbocharged engine can match. The engine is entirely new and shares no components with the W16 used in the Chiron, representing a fundamental change in Bugatti's technical direction under Mate Rimac.
Hybrid System: Three Electric Motors, 800 hp Combined
Two electric motors are mounted at the front axle and one at the rear, delivering a combined 800 PS (789 hp). The full system output is 1,800 PS (1,775 hp). Despite the total power figure, the Tourbillon also offers an all-electric range of over 60 kilometres, making it usable as a low-emissions vehicle in city environments. The plug-in hybrid architecture is a first for Bugatti in production form.
Exterior Design
Every surface of the Tourbillon's exterior was designed around aerodynamics and thermodynamics. The iconic horseshoe grille and the Bugatti Line, a sweeping crease that divides the dual-colour split, are carried forward from Bugatti's design language. The body is sculpted for stability beyond 400 km/h. Production begins in 2026 at Bugatti's new Atelier in Molsheim, with approximately 80 cars built per year through 2029.
Price and Production Numbers
The Bugatti Tourbillon is priced at 3.8 million euros before taxes and personalisation. All 250 units are expected to sell before deliveries commence, consistent with demand patterns seen for the Chiron and Divo. At this price and production level, the Tourbillon competes directly with the Pagani Utopia, Koenigsegg Jesko, and Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta in the exclusive category of limited-run, manually-built European hypercars.
Explore exceptional hypercars and supercars at TheArsenale, or bring Bugatti heritage into your world with the Bugatti Baby II junior electric car, the PG x Bugatti carbon bicycle, or the Bugatti EB110 tribute titanium espresso machine. For full specifications, see the official Bugatti Tourbillon page and the detailed technical breakdown at Motor Authority.
Photo: BUGATTI
