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Bugatti looks back at how how it developed the W16 engine

As the end of the Chiron's production run nears, Bugatti is taking a look back at the W16 engine that has powered its cars since it returned to the scene nearly 20 years ago. The engine is relatively compact, hugely powerful, and it has helped the firm set several world records. Former Volkswagen boss Ferdinand Karl Piech knew that successfully reviving Bugatti required building a car that stood out from everything else on the road at the time. He initially planned to power the then-upcoming Veyron with an 18-cylinder engine and sketched it out on an envelope while riding on a high-speed train from Tokyo to Osaka in Japan in 1997. His concept later became a 16-cylinder engine, but dropping a pair of cylinders didn't make the unit easier to develop. Bugatti engineers started from scratch in order to make the W16 a reality. "We had to engage in basic development for every component; every vehicle part had to be constructed anew and tested — even the engine test bench. The only thing we didn't change was the pencils we used for drawing," said former Bugatti head of technical development Gregor Gries. The initial goal was to launch the Veyron with over 1,000 horsepower, and even some insiders doubted that this could be achieved. Bugatti pulled it off: The Veyron entered production in 2005 with a quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter W16 engine rated at 1,000 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque. Horsepower increased to 1,200 in the Veyron Super Sport, and the Chiron inaugurated a new version of the engine rated at 1,500 horsepower thanks in part to bigger turbos, though the Chiron Super Sport offers a 1,600-horsepower output. Engineers faced several significant challenges during the Veyron's development process. Getting the W16 to make 1,000 horsepower wasn't one; it broke the symbolic barrier the first time it was put on a test bench in 2001. Keeping its temperature in check required designing a massive cooling system that takes over 10 gallons of coolant and installing a titanium exhaust system. With the engine ready to go, Bugatti turned its attention to creating a car capable of coping with 1,000 horsepower, both in terms of comfort and in terms of aerodynamics. "Back then, there was no literature or empirical data for production engines with more than 12 cylinders or for production vehicles that could go faster than 217 mph," said Karl-Heinz Neumann, Volkswagen's former head of engine development.

2022 Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance Mega Gallery | The show in pictures

COMO, Italy — Held annually, the Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance is, in many ways, Europe's version of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It takes place in a beautiful location, and it brings together an impressive selection of rare and valuable cars. It's a real treat for the eyes, the ears, and, if you're into champagne, the palate. The 2022 edition of the show was no exception: About 50 cars were shipped to Lake Como from over a dozen countries, and it wasn't just the usual suspects. Sure, there were a lot of pre-war cars (including a couple of one-off models), but some of the icons that younger enthusiasts grew up with (like the Lamborghini Countach) were present as well. This year's event was split into eight categories: The Art Deco Era of Motor Car Design, The Supercharged Mercedes-Benz, How Grand Entrances Were Once Made, Eight Decades of Ferrari Represented in Eight Icons, "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday," BMW's M Cars and Their Ancestors, Pioneers That Chased the Magic 300 KPH, And a design award for concept and prototypes. The jury gave the coveted "best of show" award to a 1937 Bugatti 57 S owned by Andrew Picker of Monaco, while the aforementioned classes were won by, respectively: The Bugatti 57 S, shown below, A 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet, A 1956 Chrysler Boano Coupe Speciale, A 1966 Ferrari 356 P Berlinetta Speciale Tre Posti, A 1961 Porsche 356 B Carrera Abarth GTL, A 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL, A 1989 Porsche 959 Sport, And the Bugatti Bolide concept unveiled in 2020. Winning at Villa d'Este is a big deal: The cars are judged by a panel of highly experienced judges. No one gave me a scoring sheet, presumably out of fear that I'd award points to the late-model Fiat 600 lurking in the parking lot, but several cars that didn't win an award caught my eye. One is a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, a grand-prix racer that was once owned by King Leopold III of Belgium and that has never been restored — its patina is inimitable. Another is a 1961 BMW 700 RS. One of two built (the other is in the BMW collection), it's a tiny, ultra-light roadster related to the 700 and powered by a 697-cubic-centimeter air-cooled flat-twin tuned to develop 70 horsepower. It won several hill-climb events during the 1960s, and it's one of the rarest cars ever to wear a BMW roundel. Aston Martin's freshly-restored 1979 Bulldog concept was cool to see as well; check out the cassette player integrated into the headliner!

Post Malone's very white Bugatti Chiron is up for grabs

Rapper and face tattoo enthusiast Post Malone is selling a 2019 Bugatti Chiron. It's not just any 2019 Bugatti Chiron, either, but one tailored to Mr. Malone's personal tastes, which is, apparently, white on white on white. Malone apparently eschewed the Chiron's available two-tone exterior for a single finish entirely in what Bugatti calls Glacier. Apparently, it's the hit songwriter's favorite color, his car collection consisting of a fleet of matching achromatic vehicular baubles. The interior complements it with swaths of bleached leather ensconcing every conceivable surface, from headliner to seats to dashboard to steering wheel. We didn't realize plain white could look so gaudy, but somehow the Bug makes it happen. The car is currently listed with DuPont Registry, and photos show the odometer reading just 586 miles. That would explain why the alabaster supercar still looks as unsullied as a pair of collector grade Drake Edition Air Jordan 12 OVOs, or THX 1138's torture room. When new, the supercar boasting 1,479-horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque stickered at about $3 million, but Malone opted for a few bells and whistles to set it apart from your more plebeian Chirons. Its black brake calipers, for example, are said to be a $6,400 option. The silver mesh grilles front and rear command another $38,200, a relative bargain compared to the $64,000 Caractere wheels. Inside, the center console inlay aluminum trim adds another $10,900, while contrast-stitching comfort seats are worth another $32,000, or the price of one new Mustang convertible. That's over $150,000 in options alone, but that's probably nothing for Mr. Malone, whose garage consists of a Lamborghini Aventador SV, Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Wraith, McLaren Senna, Hennesey VelociRaptor 6x6, 2019 Subaru WRX, 1966 Lincoln Continental, and a 1992 Ford Explorer with Lambo doors. With all those other sweet rides and a career as a musical superstar, Malone probably didn't have the time to give the Bugatti's 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 regular workouts, but maybe you can. Just don't eat Chee-tos in it.

Rimac says Bugatti's next model will be 'heavily electrified'

Croatia-based Rimac purchased a controlling stake in Bugatti in July 2021. While some worried that the tie-up would lead to badge-engineering, the company has confirmed that the Chiron's successor will not be merely an existing EV dressed in a swanky French suit. "The easiest thing for us would be to take the Nevera, slam a Bugatti logo on it, and call it a day, but I was against it. I'm an electric car guy, but a Bugatti should still have a combustion engine for some time," company founder Mate Rimac explained to Automotive News Europe. Badge-engineering is off the table, then; Bugatti fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Rimac added that future Bugatti models will be developed from scratch and in-house, and that his team will go to significant lengths to keep development costs in check in order to boost profitability. But while a Bugatti EV isn't around the corner, it doesn't sound like the model that takes the torch from the Chiron will keep the W16 alive. "[The car] will be heavily electrified, but we'll have a very attractive combustion engine. When people see the next-generation Bugatti, I think they will be surprised that I was pushing for something like that because people associate me with electric cars. But, I have always been a performance guy and a car freak. Considering the brand and the customers and the technology available, I think that we are developing the best possible solution for Bugatti, which is not an electric car today. It will be one day, but not today," Rimac continued. While he stopped short of providing technical details, "heavily electrified" and "a very attractive combustion engine" are statements that confirm the Chiron's successor will land with a hybrid powertrain. And, as of writing, there's no word yet on what the car will look like, both visually and mechanically. It could again take the form of a coupe with a mid-mounted engine, or it could adopt a different layout. We don't know when Bugatti will unveil its next car, though it doesn't sound like the company is in a rush: Its order book is full until 2025, according to Rimac. The final Chiron build slots have been spoken for, and the track-focused Bolide is sold-out as well. After a record-breaking 2021, Bugatti plans to build and deliver 80 cars in 2022, including the first examples of the EB110-inspired Centodieci. Meanwhile, the Croatian firm has launched production of the Nevera, its second model, after several delays linked to the ongoing chip shortage.

Felicity Ace sinks with thousands of VWs, Porsches, Lamborghinis

The stricken ship Felicity Ace sank overnight after a week of salvage efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful. The ship, which was carrying up to 4,000 VW Group cars, went to the bottom unexpectedly while a salvage team was attempting to tow it to shore, Bloomberg reports.  "Initial reports from the local salvage team state that the vessel had sunk at around 9AM local time having suffered a list to starboard," Mitsui O.S.K. Lines transportation company (MOL), which owns the Felicity Ace, said in a statement released early Tuesday.    "The last vessel position was around 220nm off the Azores," MOL said. "The salvage crafts will remain around the area to monitor the situation. Further information will be provided as it becomes available." The ship sank after being battered by waves and listing 45 degrees to starboard, the ship’s operator said. “The weather was pretty rough out there,” Pat Adamson, a spokesperson for MOL Ship Management (Singapore), a unit of Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., said by phone. “And then she sank, which was a surprise.” VW, Porsche, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini-branded models were aboard the ship, which was headed to Rhode Island from GermanyÂ’s Emden port when the fire broke out on Feb. 16.  Rough seas and ongoing fires fueled by the lithium-ion batteries of EVs onboard delayed the ship's salvage and recovery operations for the better part of a week. While the likelihood of salvaging the smoke and potentially fire- and water-damaged vehicles from Felicity Ace's hold was slim to none, some had held out hope that their special-ordered vehicles might survive the mishap.  The Panama-flagged Felicity Ace was safely evacuated of its 22 crew members by the Portuguese navy after a fire started in its hold more than a week ago. The ship can carry up to 4,000 cars. European carmakers declined to discuss how many vehicles and what models were on board, but it appears to have been transporting approximately 2,500 cars, including roughly 1,100 Porsches and an undetermined number of Volkswagens.  The cars aboard were on order. Porsche customers in the United States were being contacted by their dealers, the company said. “We are already working to replace every car affected by this incident and the first new cars will be built soon,” Angus Fitton, vice president of PR at Porsche Cars North America, Inc., told The Associated Press in an email. The ship sank in water nearly 10,000 feet deep, the Portuguese Navy said.

Germany criticizes Czech tycoon's 257-mph Autobahn ride

BERLIN — Germany's Transport Ministry has criticized a stunt that saw a Czech millionaire drive his high-powered sports car along a public highway at speeds of up to 414 kilometers per hour (257 mph). A video posted online this month shows Radim Passer pushing his Bugatti Chiron to extreme speeds on a stretch of Germany's A2 Autobahn between Berlin and Hannover. Beneath the video, Passer wrote that the stunt was filmed last year on a 10-kilometer (6-mile) straight section with three lanes and “visibility along the whole stretch.” “Safety was a priority, so the circumstances had to be safe to go," he said. But the car can be seen passing several other vehicles on the highway and the light in the video suggests it was at twilight. While much of Germany's Autobahn network famously has no speed limit, the Transport Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that it “rejects any behavior in road traffic that leads or can lead to endangering road users.” “All road users must abide by the rules of the road traffic regulations,” it added, citing the first clause of Germany's road traffic law, which states that “anyone participating in traffic must behave in such a way that no other person is harmed, endangered or obstructed or inconvenienced more than is unavoidable under the circumstances.” The ministry noted that the law also requires drivers to “only drive so fast that the vehicle is constantly under control.” Passer, who according to Forbes is the Czech Republic's 33rd-richest person with a wealth of 6.6 billion Czech crowns ($308 million), suggested beneath the video that he placed his faith in more than just his driving skills during the stunt. “We thank God for the safety and good circumstances, as we were able to reach the speed of 414 km/h!” he wrote. The Green party, now a junior partner in Germany's coalition government, called for a 130 kph (80 mph) speed limit across the Autobahn network in last year's election campaign, as part of efforts to cut the country's carbon dioxide emissions. But that idea was ditched during talks to form the new government. Related Video:

Bugatti Chiron, Bolide are sold out after record-setting 2021

Bugatti yelled "last call!" for the Chiron in October 2021. If you didn't get your name added to the list then, it's too late: The French company announced that, after a record-breaking 2021, the final build slots have been spoken for. The track-focused Bolide is sold out as well. Like sister companies Porsche and Lamborghini, Bugatti enjoyed the most successful year in 2021 since its inception. It received 150 orders, which is remarkable considering that all of its cars carry a six-digit price tag before options enter the equation, and 60% of those orders came from first-time buyers. That number includes the roughly 40 Chiron build slots that were available at the end of 2021 and 40 units of the Bolide. What this means, then, is that you can no longer order a new Bugatti. Every example of the Divo has been delivered, the one-off La Voiture Noire is in the hands of its anonymous owner, and deliveries of the sold-out, EB110-inspired Centodieci will start in 2022. The firm isn't taking a year off, though. It plans to build and deliver 80 cars in 2022 while presumably working on writing the next chapter in its long history. It's too early to tell what will take the torch from the Chiron. Bugatti merged with Croatia-based Rimac in July 2021. While Rimac is known for building EVs, Bugatti's next hypercar won't necessarily run on batteries. Company founder Mate Rimac confirmed that pistons will live on. "I'm a car guy. We will not just recycle what we have — not restyle the Chiron or hybridize the Chiron. We're developing a completely new product from the ground up. Everything, because we think that's the best way to go. That product will have an internal combustion engine," Rimac affirmed in July 2021. Until then, the quickest (and cheapest) way to put a Bugatti in your garage is to order an electric scooter. Related video:

Bugatti expands way downmarket with an electric scooter

Tales of an entry-level Bugatti have spewed out of the rumor mill for years, but none predicted that the vehicle would have two wheels. The company teamed with Bytech to release an electric scooter that makes the Bugatti name accessible to a much wider audience. Built around a magnesium-alloy frame, the 35-pound scooter is powered by a 700-watt motor that gives it a top speed of 18.5 mph. Clearly, this is not a Chiron, though it wasn't designed to be one. Note that the aforementioned velocity can only be reached when the rider selects a mode called Sport. Leave it in Economy mode and you'll max out at 9 mph; City unlocks 12.5 mph. Cruise control comes standard, and Bugatti notes its scooter is capable of riding up a 15-degree slope and carrying 242 pounds. The battery stores enough electricity for about 22 miles of range. It can be removed, and charging it takes four hours when using a household outlet. For context, one of the many unlikely entrants into the electric scooter arena is MV Agusta, an Italian company more commonly associated with high-performance, race-ready motorcycles. Its scooter (which is described as "the Italian stallion of the e-scooter world") weighs 44 pounds, has a 25-mph top speed, and can carry riders weighing up to 220 pounds. The 500-watt motor delivers 18 pound-feet of torque. Design-wise, it's a, well ... a scooter. You didn't think it would borrow styling cues from the Divo, did you? There's a Bugatti emblem on the front end, and the front turn signals are positioned on the outer parts of the handlebar for better visibility. LED strips illuminate the bottom part of the riding platform, while a rear-mounted light projects Bugatti's "EB" logo onto the ground. Just like in a Bugatti car, you'll be seen.  We don't know when the Bugatti scooter will go on sale or how much it will cost. However, buyers will have three colors to choose from: Agile Blue, silver, and black. It's not quite the baby Chiron we were expecting, but it's a good conversation starter: "I got here with my Bugatti."

How to make Ettore Bugatti's favorite Christmas desserts

Ettore Bugatti's love for cars spawned the automaker that bears his name, but that's not the only passion that he turned into a business. He channeled his love for food into a restaurant called Clos Saint Odile in Obernai, a small town in the Alsatian countryside located not far from the Bugatti factory in Molsheim. It still exists, it's now called La Fourchette des Ducs, and it still makes some of Bugatti's favorites dishes. In 2020, Bugatti taught hungry enthusiasts how to cook a Christmas dinner like its founder; he served minestrone, blazed duck breast with truffle puree and cassis sauce, and strawberry gratin. In 2021, the French company is zooming in on desserts. La Fourchette des Ducs offers customers a cart with 15 desserts around the holidays, including one called Tarte Obernoise that Bugatti served at his wedding. The full recipe is posted on Bugatti's media site. It looks relatively simple: making the dough requires flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, milk, and baking powder, while the filling consists of raspberry jam, egg whites, powdered sugar, and almond powder. It's more time-consuming than, say, opening a box of cake mix because the dough needs to rest for two hours, but at the end you'll be able to say that you made meringue.  If you're feeling ambitious or extra-hungry, Bugatti also provided the restaurant's recipe for hazelnut Kipferle (a croissant-shaped cookie). Making a batch is well within the average cook's reach. You'll need sugar, butter, sifted flour, hazelnut powder, vanilla pods, and cinnamon. If you're more interested in cars than food, you're out of luck: Bugatti hasn't shared how to assemble the Chiron's W16 engine.

Unique Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport shows off customizing program

It's strange, but there's really no shortage of incredible supercars to pick from nowadays. Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Pagani, Koenigsegg, Bugatti, Aston Martin and Porsche, among others, are continuously rolling out ever faster, rarer and more unusual supercars. And as a result, buyers want more than just a choice of paint and interior colors to pick from. They want unique color schemes to stand out from the other supercar owners. Automakers such as McLaren have learned this with programs like MSO, and now Bugatti is launching a service called Sur Mesure, which translates to "tailored." And its first customer car is the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport GP Sur Mesure you see above. According to Bugatti, the car is a tribute to racing driver Louis Chiron, who won the 1931 French Grand Prix driving a Bugatti Type 51. The custom Chiron Pur Sport features the same style "32" on the outside and embroidered on the seat backs as Chiron's Type 51. That number is hand-painted on the doors, as are the "EB" logo patterns on the front and rear fenders. Based on photos of the paint process, it seems some intricate masking was used, requiring careful removal after painting. The exterior paint color is a new hue that was created to match that of 1930s Bugatti race cars. Inside, the Chiron Pur Sport is mostly black and red Alcantara. The most unique aspects are the door panels that feature the same type of "EB" pattern as on the fenders, but this time with embroidery. The car also gets black anodized aluminum trim panels with silver logos. No pricing was given for this one-off Bugatti, nor were any estimates for services given. This is likely because every project will be different depending on the customers' ideas, so the amount of time and cost will vary. Seeing as customers will be guided through the process and receive truly custom cars at the end, ones based on cars that already have seven-figure price tags, the costs must be mighty high. Related Video: