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RM Sotheby's Turbollection features exotics from the '80s and '90s

If you have even a passing interest in cars, there's little doubt you know a thing or two about Porsche, whether the topic centers around a classic name like 911 or the more mainstream Cayenne and Macan crossovers. Bugatti? Sure, most people know about the historic French builder of world-class, record-setting automobiles, though admittedly the EB110 we're about to show you probably wouldn't be the first to come to mind. Fewer are likely familiar with the likes of Vector Aeromotive, a tiny American company with history that dates back to the 1980s. And we'd wager that most have never even heard of the likes of Isdera and Cizeta. Brush up on your history, (super wealthy car collecting) folks. RM Sotheby's has an exciting array of cars coming up for auction during the Monterey Car Week festivities on California. Among all the expected Ferrari, Lamborghini and Shelby classics potential buyers can wade through, the so-called Turbollection collection features much rarer oddities.

Check out the classic cars that the Bugatti Tourbillon traces its roots to

MOLSHEIM, France — Bugatti unveiled the new, 1,800-horsepower Tourbillon at its historic headquarters in Molsheim, France. While the Chiron's successor was the uncontested star of the show, the brand displayed an impressive selection of classics to give attendees a glimpse into every facet of its past. The roster included grand prix-winning race cars, ultra-luxurious sedans, elegant coupes, and even a small, city-friendly electric car. Enthusiasts tend to associate the Bugatti name with hypercars, but there's more to the brand than four-digit horsepower figures and speed records. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the company made one of the most luxurious cars in the world: the Type 41, which is also known as the Royale. It stretched 252 inches from bumper to bumper in its longest configuration (several body styles were available) and its wheelbase measured nearly 170 inches; I've owned cars that were shorter than that. Power came from a 12.8-liter straight-eight engine. Pictured in our gallery above, the example Bugatti displayed at the Tourbillon unveiling features 24-inch wheels, the famous "Dancing Elephant" hood ornament, and a closed rear cabin with windows made of reinforced glass. The front compartment is always open, and the rear passengers could talk to the driver using an intercom system called a Motor Dictograph. The behemoth of an engine made about 300 horsepower at 1,800 rpm, which was enough to unlock a top speed of about 124 mph — that was a supercar-worthy figure a century ago. Bugatti has explored the more family-friendly side of its heritage on several occasions over the past few decades, though none of its projects have reached production. In the 1990s, when the brand was owned by Romano Artioli and based in Italy, it experimented with a Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed super-sedan called EB112 and powered by a 6.0-liter V12. In 1999, after joining the Volkswagen Group, Bugatti showed a four-door, W18-powered concept called EB218. Ten years later, the 16C Galibier made its debut as a potential follow-up to the Veyron. Racing has been part of Bugatti's DNA for over 100 years; it has won major events like the Targa Florio and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Four vintage race cars illustrated this part of its heritage at the unveiling, including a surprisingly futuristic model from 1923 called Type 23 and nicknamed Tank. Take a look at its bodywork and you'll immediately understand why.

Bugatti Tourbillon Preview: 1,000-hp V16, 800-hp electric motors, gorgeous interior

LONG BEACH, Calif. — A few months ago, Bugatti invited us out to a studio in Long Beach, California, to get an early look at a prototype version of its latest creation, the Tourbillon. As the follow-up to two of the most iconic luxury-performance vehicles of the past two decades, the Tourbillon has some sizable shoes to fill, as both the Veyron and the Chiron were standard bearers of hypercar engineering during their respective eras. The high-performance landscape has also gone through some fairly dramatic changes in the time since. While the near-1,500 horsepower produced by the ChironÂ’s quad-turbocharged W16 was otherworldly in 2016, it seems notably less remarkable at a point in time when there are luxury sedans capable of producing more than 1,200 horsepower and the worldÂ’s quickest production vehicle offers nearly 2,000 hp. The paradigm shift brought on by high-performance EVs has not gone unnoticed by Bugatti, though. In 2022, the automaker formed a technical alliance with Rimac, the Croatian EV upstart that produces the world-beating Nevera. In its early stages, the partnership tasked Rimac with the development of an all-new powerplant for what would eventually become the Tourbillon, but the agreement soon evolved to effectively give Rimac founder and CEO Mate Rimac full control of the Bugatti brand through a 55/45 split with Porsche, BugattiÂ’s prior parent company. Bugatti Tourbillon action group View 7 Photos This, of course, begs a question: How do you follow up an automotive icon like the Chiron with something that feels equally unprecedented when your other company has upstaged that car with its own technology? As Bugatti design director Frank Heyl explained it, you focus less on the stats and more on the experience. “Yes, obviously it will be extremely fast. But I donÂ’t really like to talk about the numbers. ItÂ’s more about how you feel in the driverÂ’s seat, the sensations – the haptics of the switchgear, the smell of the leather, and the sounds and vibrations of the engine. ItÂ’s an emotional experience that canÂ’t really be expressed in numbers.”    That experience is driven in no small part by the TourbillonÂ’s jaw-dropping hybrid powertrain. At the front end of the Tourbillon, thereÂ’s a dual-motor and dual-inverter setup thatÂ’s good for 600 horsepower, along with a third electric motor in the rear that delivers an additional 200 hp of its own.

Dealer says he sold LeBron James a Bugatti. LeBron replies: 'LIARS!'

It’s news in the automobile chat rooms when LeBron James buys a new Bugatti. ItÂ’s news as well when LeBron James doesnÂ’t buy a new Bugatti. Seems that a California high-end dealership “congratulated” the NBA legend for all to see on Instagram about his "purchase," bragging that James was their “biggest VIP customer.Â’Â’ Turns out none of that was true — it's the car-dealer equivalent of stolen valor. “Stop the [cap]!! LIARS!!” James shot back on his own post, aiming his blast at the Effortless Motors dealership in Riverside. “I don't know y'all and I don't even have that car. CLOUT CHASERS.Â’Â’ James also shared a video posted by the dealer showing a car being loaded onto a truck. No details on that vehicle or on the supercar James purportedly bought. TMZ Sports said it spoke with Effortless Motors owner Daniel Ubario, who admitted that the uproar was part of a marketing ploy, and that he didn't expect the angry reaction from James Â… or from his legion of fans who took to social media to bash Ubario. Ubario also said that heÂ’d not worked with LeBron in any capacity in the past. Celebrities Marketing/Advertising Weird Car News Bugatti Supercars

What is the fastest car in the world in 2024?

It wasn't that long ago that the notion of reaching 200 miles per hour in a car, on a road, seemed basically impossible. As you likely know by now, that time has passed. And once that threshold was crossed, the automotive world immediately began eying the next triple-digit benchmark: 300 miles per hour. It may have taken a little while, but the 300-mph line has been crossed, and some cars have moved well past that seemingly insane speed number. While some of these speeds have been achieved in simulations (including the fastest car listed below), there's little doubt that a driver with nerves of steel and a heavy right foot could indeed push several automobiles up to 300 miles per hour and beyond. Interestingly, it’s not just one car or automaker in the 300-mph club, as a handful of models have earned a place (sometimes claimed but not yet demonstrated) on the leaderboard. The fastest car in the world is: Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (330 MPH) That title goes to the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, which recorded a staggering 330 mph top speed earlier in 2023. The carÂ’s twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 lays down 1,600 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque, which plays a significant role in delivering that speed, but KoenigseggÂ’s engineers have given the car a lot more than mind-blowing power. The Jesko Absolut has a super-slippery 0.278 drag coefficient and a nine-speed transmission that shifts so quickly itÂ’s almost imperceptible. Koenigsegg calls it a Light Speed Transmission (LST), saying its shifts happen at almost light speed. While that might be a slight exaggeration, the gearbox is impressive, bringing several wet multi-disc clutches and a super lightweight construction. As Koenigsegg says, "the Jesko Absolut is destined to achieve higher, more extraordinary speeds than any Koenigsegg or any other fully homologated car before it." How expensive is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut? If you were reading that and wondering how much the fastest car in the world costs, the price tag is just another dizzying number on the Jesko Absolut's spec sheet. All 125 Absolut cars offered sold out at a price of almost $3 million. Of course, being able to afford the Koenigsegg is just the first step in realizing its full potential. There are very few places on the map that can support a 300-plus-mph speed run, and the locations that do are not conveniently located.

Bugatti's Chiron successor will make its debut on June 20 with V16 power

Bugatti built the final Chiron, a Super Sport model called L'Ultime, in May 2024. We won't have to wait long to find out what's next: the brand has already announced that the Chiron's successor will get a new V16 engine, and it confirmed the model will make its debut on June 20. Little is known about the model — its name hasn't even been revealed yet. We're guessing it will inaugurate a new nameplate rather than land as, say, the second-generation Chiron, though this is pure speculation. What's certain is that the model will be new from the ground up. The quad-turbocharged W16 engine that has powered every Bugatti since the brand's revival will join the pantheon of automotive history. Instead, the Chiron's successor will use a new V16 engine developed in-house. The 16-cylinder will be part of a hybrid system, and Bugatti has previously described its next hypercar as being "heavily electrified." The chassis will be entirely new as well, so it will be interesting to see how Bugatti manages to offset the weight added by the hybrid system. For context, the Chiron was built largely out of carbon fiber. Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti's former head of design, previously told Autoblog that starting the project on a blank slate allowed his team to fine-tune the car's proportions."[The car] will certainly be tailored to one or the other aspect of a hybrid," he explained. The interior will evolve as well, but don't expect wall-to-wall screens. "Bugatti models need to sit on the lawn at Pebble Beach in 50 years and work," he summed up. While nothing suggests the Chiron's replacement will go retro, Bugatti notes it rummaged through its catalog of past models for inspiration. The Type 57 SC Atlantic, the Type 41 Royale, and the Type 35 all shaped the new car. The French brand considers the first two its most beautiful and its most luxurious cars, respectively, and the latter is widely credited as one of the most successful Grand Prix cars ever raced. Bugatti will stream the unveiling on its YouTube channel, and Autoblog will be there live to bring you fresh images of the car. Bugatti Luxury Performance Supercars

The 500th and final Bugatti Chiron is a tribute to the model's beginnings

It's the end of the road for the Bugatti Chiron. Limited to 500 units globally, the W16-powered coupe entered production in 2016, set a top-speed record, and spawned several models. The final Chiron was built in May 2024, but the French brand will soon unveil what comes next. Bugatti named the final Chiron "L'Ultime," which translates to "the last one" in French. It's a Super Sport model whose livery is inspired by the first Chiron shown to the public when the model was announced at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. It's finished in Atlantic Blue and French Racing Blue, like the show car, but the colors blend into each other; they were separated by hand-polished aluminum trim on the show car displayed in Switzerland. The color split extends to the wheels, and the grille wears a blue Bugatti emblem created specifically for the model. The name of places that helped shape the Chiron's career appear on both sides of the last example built. Paul Ricard is the track in the south of France where Bugatti tested pre-production prototypes, for example. Geneva is where the Chiron was presented to the public, and Ehra-Lessien is the German test track where the Chiron became the first car to cross the 300-mph barrier. It reached precisely 304.773 mph. 2024 Bugatti Chiron l'Ultime View 22 Photos More subtle design details further identify L'Ultime as the final Chiron built. The center caps feature "500/500" logos while "#500" appears ahead of both wheel arches — that's number 500, not hashtag 500. Bugatti notes that this livery was created at the request of a customer. Inside, there's Deep Blue leather upholstery and carbon fiber trim. The "#500" logo appears on the center console, while the seats and the steering wheel get blue, white, and red stitching as a tribute to the French flag. Bugatti's historic home is in Molsheim, in northern France. There's no word on where the final Chiron is off to. It might end up tucked away in a private museum, or you might spot it at the next cars and coffee gathering. As for what's next, we won't have to wait long to find out. The company, which is controlled by Croatia-based Rimac, confirmed that the Chiron's successor will ditch the W16 engine that also powered the Veyron and instead use a new V16 engine designed in-house. The 16-cylinder will work jointly with some kind of hybrid drivetrain, though full technical details haven't been released yet.

Coming Bugatti reportedly gets NA V16 PHEV powertrain making 1,800 horsepower

With Bugatti having shown the Chiron successor to select clientele, a growing number of unconfirmed reports from reputable sources are filling in blanks with fascinating details. Let's start with the already confirmed fact that the new engine unit nestled at the back of the new carbon monocoque would trade the Chiron's quad-turbocharged W16 for a 90-degree V16. The best source for more intel is Bugatti-Rimac CEO Mate Rimac, who joined Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder as one of the guest speakers at the Financial Times' Future of the Car summit in London. Autocar reports he told his audience the engine by itself is 39.4 inches long (one meter), making it 15.8 inches longer than the W16. Germany's Auto, Moto, und Sport writes that when including the hybrid element, the power unit is nearly two meters long, almost 78.7 inches. Rimac had to win boardroom battles to get that engine approved. Some background: Years ago, when Stephan Winkelmann ran Bugatti, he not only hinted repeatedly at some kind of electric SUV, but when asked about a "three-door, ultra-premium crossover SUV" in 2019, he replied, "The design is done. Some potential customers have seen it, and they liked it." At the London summit, Mate Rimac confirmed such a vehicle had been in development, and that it was planned to use battery-electric power on a Rimac chassis. But Mate managed to convince Volkswagen Group bosses that a full EV wasn't the way to go at a time when most company chiefs believed EVs had almost finished starving internal combustion of its fossil fuels. He's been proved more right than anyone expected or wanted; he said Rimac Automobili still hasn't sold out its 150 Nevera build slots.  There are no turbos involved in this PHEV — this is a free-breathing V16, just like the last V16 to reach the marketplace, the 6.0-liter unit in the Cizeta V16T. AMS claims Bugatti's engine has been developed with Cosworth's help, is bored out to 8.3 liters, revs to 9,000 rpm, and makes about 1,000 metric horsepower on its own (986 U.S. horsepower). That's close to double the power from the Cizeta's V16, which made 540 hp and 400 pound-feet of torque. The mill has been on the dyno since at least the end of 2022. Instead of turbos from Molsheim, a hybrid element is thought to add another 800 hp in final configuration. If that's the case, the new car will go beyond the W16's 1,587-hp swan song in the Mistral roadster. What is that hybrid element?

Bugatti Chiron successor prototype spotted in full profile under camo

When Bugatti teased the new V16 that will go into the successor to the Chiron, the early word was that the new coupe would still be recognizable as a Bugatti. We have Top Gear to thank for proof, the magazine scoring an image of a prototype and posting it to X. The design trademarks are there — low nose rising to hug the front wheels, the C graphic along the side, thin light bar stretched across the rear, and a whopping deployable wing. Looks like the new monocoque underneath has been lowered and stretched compared to the current car, though. The front overhang is longer, the curve of the C has been pulled back like a bow string at the top, and there's a noticeably larger span of sheetmetal between the diagonal of the C and the rear wheel arch. Also, that C design element cuts higher through the side of the car, about two-thirds of the way down the door instead of just above the rocker panel. And it's tough to make out details through the camo, but the doors have new lines, too.  This is your first look at BugattiÂ’s V16-engined successor to the Chiron. WeÂ’ve got hold of a spy shot of BugattiÂ’s next hypercar, and it looksÂ… colourful -> https://t.co/swGT4wu3St pic.twitter.com/RMmfcJkp6c — Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) April 26, 2024 In back, the current horizontal line of a taillight is curved in two dimensions to follow the coupe's rear edge. The latter third of the car gives us Super Sport vibes, the standard Chiron variant that channeled the Super Sport 300+ created to hit 300 miles per hour, especially in the rear diffuser area.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Car Design World (@cardesignworld) Part of the extra length could be about fitting the new hybrid and quad-turbocharged V16 powertrain. The Chiron's yet-unnamed successor will use a plug-in hybrid system, Rimac-Bugatti previously describing the power unit as "heavily electrified." This suggests (though nothing is official) that the model will be capable of running on electricity alone for relatively short distances. If other super sports cars are useful indicators, all-electric running might last no longer than ten kilometers or so. Rumors about that the ICE portion is an 8.3-liter unit developed with the help of Cosworth, aided by three electric motors that make 335 horsepower apiece. That suggests not only appreciably more horsepower than the 1,578 in the Chiron, but all-wheel drive.

Bugatti announces V16-electric hybrid drivetrain for Chiron successor

Bugatti sent off the quad-turbocharged W16 engine that has powered all of its 21st-century models with a limited-edition, 1,600-horsepower roadster named Mistral. Rumors about what could power its future cars ran rampant; the brand confirmed a hybrid system for the Chiron's successor, and some sources detailed a downsized engine. Ending years of speculation, Bugatti has announced a new 16-cylinder engine. The difference is in the prefix: the Veyron, the Chiron, and few-off models like the Divo all used a W16 engine, with cylinders arranged — as the name implies — in a W configuration. The new unit will have a V configuration. Put another way, think of the W16 as a pair of narrow-angle V8s and of the V16 as a pair of straight-eights. Bugatti isn't the first company to build a V16 engine, Cadillac famously used one in the 1930s and BMW experimented with one in the 1990s, but there's not a single V16-powered new car currently on the market.  Bugatti stopped short of revealing technical specifications, so we'll need to be patient to learn details such as the engine's displacement and power output. However, the French brand reiterated what we already knew: the V16 will be part of a hybrid powertrain. Here again details are vague, but Autoblog learned that the Chiron's yet-unnamed successor will use a plug-in hybrid system. Rimac, which owns Bugatti, has previously described the drivetrain as "heavily electrified." This suggests (though nothing is official) that the model will be capable of running on electricity alone for relatively short distances. It looks like carbon fiber will play a significant role in offsetting the hybrid system's weight. Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti's former design director, told Autoblog in 2022 that the Chiron's successor will "certainly be tailored to one or the other aspect of a hybrid" in terms of design. The model will be built around a new monocoque, which gives the design team now headed by Frank Heyl the freedom to dial in new proportions. Don't expect a radical change, however: the car will still be recognizable as a Bugatti. Bugatti will unveil the Chiron's successor in June 2024, and we expect to learn more about the model in the coming months. Related video: