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Bugatti looking into hybrid tech for next-gen Veyron?

Fast. Powerful. Opulent. There are any number of descriptors one could use to describe the Bugatti Veyron. But along with them is "heavy" - including heavy on fuel consumption. That's just the way it goes when you're dealing with a sixteen-cylinder, quad-turbo beast of a supercar. But that could change, if the latest output from the rumormill proves accurate.
According to a report from Auto Express, Bugatti is keen to improve its image in the eyes of a tree-hugging world, so it is looking at ways to make the successor to the Veyron more fuel efficient. One way would be to make the car lighter, something that shouldn't be all that difficult considering that the current model weighs in at over 4,000 pounds. One such method of trimming the fat reportedly revolves around carbon-fiber wheels, something that's been done before but far from widely adopted.
At the other end of the spectrum, Bugatti is also reportedly evaluating the prospect of hybrid propulsion - something that would not reduce weight but could help fuel consumption figures while keeping the power up. If the Molsheim automaker were to go that route, we'd expect something closer to what Ferrari is working on for the Enzo successor than an upmarket Toyota Prius.

Bugatti favoring Veyron replacement over Galibier sedan

Following up on the Bugatti Veyron must be no easy feat. After all, how is anything supposed to go on stage after a groundbreaking supercar with sixteen cylinders, four turbochargers and as much as 1,200 horsepower?
Evidently, settling on a successor to the Veyron has been a daunting endeavor even for Bugatti, which has, over the past few years, been reported to be considering either a new hypercar to fill the Veyron's shoes, a super-sedan to chart a different course, or possibly both. But now the storied Alsatian marque is said to have finally taken the Galibier off the table.
This according to our old friend Jonny Lieberman over at Motor Trend, who spoke with Wolfgang Schreiber - the engineer behind the Veyron and Bugatti's current chief executive. Apparently, MT reports, there just isn't a market for a super-luxe performance sedan above the Rolls-Royce Phantom or the Mulsanne offered by Bugatti's sister brand Bentley. Which is a bit of a shame, but where does that leave Bugatti as production winds down on the Veyron in all its many iterations?

Bugatti begins winding down Chiron production

Bugatti's stunningly powerful Chiron has almost reached the end of the line. While the standard model is sold out, there are still some Pur Sport and Super Sport build slots available for buyers who want to add the hypercar to their collection before it sprints off into the sunset. Developed to replace the Veyron, the Chiron was unveiled at the 2016 edition of the Geneva auto show with a 1,500-horsepower, quad-turbocharged W16 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment. Deliveries started in March 2017, and the 100th unit was delivered to a customer in the Middle East in May of the following year. Bugatti reached the 250-car milestone in February 2020, and it built the 300th Chiron in March 2021. It said that the final examples of the Chiron and the Chiron Sport are either being built or scheduled to be built. What's left, then, are less than 40 build slots split between the Pur Sport and the Super Sport (pictured) variants, though Bugatti told Autoblog some of those are slotted for production but haven't been configured yet. The curtains will close when the final units are built.  There's no word yet on how long it will take to fill the remaining build slots; Bugatti stressed that demand for the Chiron has increased significantly in 2021. Sales doubled and even tripled in some regions during the third quarter of the year. As for what's next, your guess is as good as ours. Bugatti is now controlled by Rimac so rumors sketching the outline of an electric model are rampant, though nothing is official. We've also heard vague details about a second model line, one that could slot below the Chiron, but those reports also remain speculative. What's certain is that something will take the torch from the Chiron. "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," said Mate Rimac. In the meantime, Bugatti's factory will stay reasonably busy: the French brand will soon launch production of the EB110-inspired Centodieci, which is limited to 10 examples, and it's planning to build 40 units of the Bolide, a track-only two-seater that weighs less than a Subaru BRZ. Related Video: