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Bugatti won't drop piston-powered cars under Rimac ownership

Volkswagen solved its Bugatti problem by merging the French carmaker with Croatia-based Rimac. Both companies will face the regulatory challenges of the 2020s together, but hastily putting the Chiron out to pasture and lazily resorting to badge engineering isn't an option, according to the man in charge of the newly-formed group. "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," said Mate Rimac in an interview with Auto Express. In a separate interview with Autocar, he added that "what some people expect might happen is that we take a Nevera and slam a Bugatti logo on it and call it a Bugatti." He stressed "that's absolutely not going to happen." Whether that internal combustion engine will be the thunderous W16 that powers the Chiron, among several other cars, remains to be seen. Rumors occasionally puff out of the auto industry's chimney claiming the unit will retire when the Chiron does. Regardless, an internal combustion engine won't power Bugatti's next models on its own. Hybrid technology will gradually appear to increase horsepower and acceleration times while improving fuel efficiency. Of course, the whole point of putting Bugatti under Rimac's roof is to give the former access to the latter's electric technology. Some degree of technology transfer is inevitable, though the partnership may take time to bear fruits. "I'll say that, within this decade, there will be a fully electric Bugatti. But, by the end of this decade, there will be combustion-engined Bugatti models as well, but heavily hybridized," Mate Rimac said. While "Bugatti is going electric" is likely to be the main takeaway, Rimac's comments also confirm that a multi-model range is in the pipeline. Auto Express speculated one way Bugatti could credibly expand beyond the hypercar segment is to release a sedan. Finally, Rimac played down concerns that Bugatti and Rimac will ultimately overlap. "Bugatti is about heritage and craftsmanship; Rimac focuses on technology. It's like Bugatti being an analog Swiss watch, and Rimac cars being an Apple watch," he said. "We can have two parallel, very distinct product lines." Related Video:

Rimac inks deal to purchase 55% of Bugatti from VW Group

ZAGREB, Croatia — Croatian electric supercar builder Rimac is taking over the iconic French manufacturer Bugatti in a deal that is reported to be worth millions of euros. Rimac said GermanyÂ’s Volkswagen Group, including the Porsche division — which owns a majority stake in Bugatti — plans to create a new joint venture. The new company will be called Bugatti-Rimac. Rimac Automobili announced Monday that it will be combining forces with Bugatti to “create a new automotive and technological powerhouse.” Rimac has progressed in 10 years from a one-man garage startup to a successful company that produces electric supercars. Mate Rimac, who founded the company in 2009, says the venture is an “exciting moment” and calls the combination of the companies “a perfect match for each other.” Porsche will own 45% of Bugatti-Rimac while Rimac Automobili will hold the remaining 55% stake, according to Croatian media reports. Financial details of the deal were not published. Bugattis will continue to be assembled in eastern France, where the company was established in 1909. The vehicles will use engines developed and made in Croatia. “In an industry evolving at ever-increasing speed, flexibility, innovation and sustainability remain at the very core of RimacÂ’s operations," the company said. “Uniting RimacÂ’s technical expertise and lean operations with BugattiÂ’s 110-year heritage of design and engineering prowess represents a fusion of leading automotive minds." Earnings/Financials Green Bugatti Automakers Porsche Volkswagen Green Automakers Electric Supercars

Hand-made, magnesium-bodied 1934 Bugatti Aerolithe visits Jay Leno's Garage

Rare, multi-million-dollar cars regularly cruise through Jay Leno's garage, but some of the vehicles that pay him visits are more special than others. The 1934 Bugatti Aerolithe that Leno recently dedicated an episode to is the kind of machine that punctures the membrane separating cars and art. The Aerolithe was designed by Jean Bugatti, the son of company founder Ettore, and its body was crafted entirely out of a magnesium alloy named Elektron in an effort to keep weight in check. As Leno points out, Elektron is spectacularly difficult to work with because it's hard to shape, and it has an alarming tendency to catch fire. That's why more than 1,200 exposed rivets helped keep the Aerolithe in one piece as it toured Europe in search of buyers. Period records indicate potential owners admired the performance delivered by the 3.3-liter straight-eight engine - the Aerolithe could reach nearly 110 mph - but not enough to buy one. While it remained a one-off model, it inspired Bugatti to make the cheaper, heavier Type 57 Atlantic with an aluminum body. The two cars looked a lot alike. The Aerolithe mysteriously disappeared before the beginning of World War II. Some sources believe it was parted out at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France, while others claim it was hidden and never taken out of storage. Regardless, its whereabouts remain unknown as of 2019. The example Leno tours Los Angeles in is a reproduction painstakingly made from the ground up by the Guild of Automotive Restorers in Canada. David Grainer, the Guild's founder, remembers the members of his team spent nearly a year figuring out how to recreate the Aerolithe before they started the project. They wanted to keep it as original as possible, so they used sheets of magnesium purchased for $3,000 a piece to make the body. Building a car from scratch (and by hand) is a challenging endeavor, but the Aerolithe project was even more complicated that it sounds because Grainer's team had only nine usable photographs to work with. Blueprints were lost long ago. Watch the full episode to learn more about the Aerolithe's history, and to find out what it's like to drive. For a look at a different side of Bugatti during the 1930s, read our story documenting the electric Type 56 that Ettore made in 1931 to drive around his property. Auto News Bugatti Classics