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Bugatti Divo revealed, all 40 are already spoken for

After numerous teasers, the Bugatti Divo has finally been revealed. I will thus take this opportunity to type "whip it good," mention funny red conical hats and move onto something only slightly less ridiculous. The Divo cost ˆ5 million each for the 40 people who have already purchased the limited production run. So sorry, you missed your chance. The Bugatti Divo is quite obviously based on the Chiron. Though it shares that car's 8.0-liter W16 engine, it is 77 pounds lighter and is capable of producing 198 extra pounds of downforce. Basically, while the Chiron is all about top speed, the Divo is more about taking corners. To that end, its lateral g is said to be 1.6 g, which is a staggering number, and its maximum speed is limited to only 236 mph. "To date, a modern Bugatti has represented a perfect balance between high performance, straight-line dynamics and luxurious comfort," said Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann. "Within our possibilities, we have shifted the balance in the case of the Divo further towards lateral acceleration, agility and cornering. The Divo is made for bends." The newer, wider front spoiler contributes to that extra downforce, along with a new rear diffuser and a 23-percent wider rear spoiler that remains automatically height adjustable and still functions as an airbrake. It's a whopping 6 feet wide. Tweaks up front also create an "air curtain" that optimizes air flow along the Divo's sides. Besides creating extra downforce, aerodynamic changes also increase cooling to the engine and brakes. The Divo also gets special suspension and steering settings to maximize handling. That includes increasing camber. Weight was reduced by using lighter wheels and a carbon fiber intercooler cover, along with a reduction in sound insulation, a lighter sound system and fixing the otherwise adjustable front diffuser flaps. According to Bugatti, the resulting changes result in the Divo lapping the Nardo handling circuit 8 seconds faster than the Chiron can. Its 40 owners are sure to be super impressed by that. Like the Veyron and Chiron, the Divo is named after a driver from the early years of car racing. Specifically, Albert Divo, the two-time winner of the Targa Florio in the 1920s. He did not look like this. Related Video:

Bugatti to replace outgoing Veyron with new Chiron

With around a dozen new units left up for grabs, the Bugatti Veyron is near the end of its production cycle. For its part, Bugatti is planning to replace it with another hypercar, and while it's surely already under development, lips in Molsheim remain tightly sealed until the last Veyron leaves the factory. In the meantime, though, we've got some clues to go by. And the latest comes courtesy of Car and Driver.
According to emerging intel, the Veyron's successor will wear the name Chiron. The name belongs not only a mythological Greek centaur but also to one of the most successful racing drivers of Bugatti's heyday - certainly one of the most prominent not to have been featured in the company's recent Legend series. His name did, however, adorn the Bugatti 18/3 Chiron (pictured above), one of the concepts from the late 90s that paved the way for the Veyron's arrival.
Aside from the name, there are precious few details to go by, but we can expect it to be powered by the company's 8.0-liter W16 engine, unnaturally aspirated and with a likely hybrid boost. Look for even more staggering performance than the Veyron's, with nimbler handling thanks to lighter-weight construction.

Bugatti 'Blue Dream' plane being replicated with Kickstarter help [w/video]

Ettore Bugatti, the automobile designer behind the Automobiles E. Bugatti nameplate, was famed for his engine and vehicle designs. Yet few realize that the Frenchman also worked on a spectacular twin-engine racing aircraft, intended to compete in the 1939 Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup Race, called the 100P. Designed by Louis de Monge, the low wing monoplane featured two engines, both mounted aft of the pilot (nearly end-to-end), driving twin counter rotating propellers through long drive shafts. To achieve its maximum speed, estimated at nearly 550 miles per hour, it was fitted with two powerful inline eight-cylinder engines each making about 450 horsepower.
Sadly, the plane never took flight. Instead, the one-of-a-kind aircraft spent World War II slowly rotting in a French barn, hidden from the Germans. Restored today, but not in flying condition, Bugatti's original 100P sits in the Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, WI.
Seven decades after the original mostly balsa and hardwood aircraft was locked away, businessman Scotty Wilson is leading a team (including Louis de Monge's great-nephew, Lasislas de Monge) intent on seeing an exact replica of Bugatti's 100P "Blue Dream" take to the sky. And that is where Kickstarter comes into play...