Bugatti’s CEO wants to “go for lightness and simplicity” by stepping back 20 years: he proposes a V16 without electrification and with a genuine manual transmission
02/11/2026 08:00
Updated to
02/11/2026 08:00
Bugatti has moved away from its massive W16 engine to adopt a hybrid setup around a naturally aspirated V16 engine in the Tourbillon model, but in the future the brand might take a very different path: Mate Rimac, its CEO, wants to revive some of the philosophy of classic sports cars through a lighter, less complex hypercar equipped with a manual transmission.
The new chapter for Bugatti, following the full acquisition of the brand by Rimac Group and a consortium of investors, opens the door to exploring projects that move away from the traditional approaches of major automakers. “Now, with the freedom that comes from the company being independent of any automobile manufacturer, we can truly think long-term and undertake bold projects. And we are going to do many amazing things.”
A Bugatti with a manual transmission
The executive believes the Tourbillon should be seen as a platform on which to develop various concepts, rather than a standalone vehicle. “As things stand, it won’t be the last one we make,” he said, and when directly asked about the possibility of adding a conventional manual transmission, he replied without hesitation: “Of course. Definitely!”
The idea isn’t merely to replace the automatic transmission with a gearshift; Rimac also aims to recreate the driving sensations of historic Bugattis, known for their light weight and agility. When asked about the possibility of creating a car inspired by those models from before World War II, the entrepreneur argued that “the Tourbillon, as it is now, makes perfect sense as a successor to the Chiron. It’s an incredible car,” though he also admitted, “I wonder: what lies ahead for Bugatti and what would be interesting to do? I think the key lies in light weight and simplification.”
This would represent a paradigm shift that Rimac itself illustrates quite vividly: “Instead of a ‘blowout’, could something more stimulating be created, something that returns to the roots, closer to the style of the Type 35? There are countless ideas,” he told TopGear.
The technical foundation already exists
Bugatti wouldn’t have to start from scratch to develop this concept, as the Tourbillon features a 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16 engine developed by Cosworth, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Its hybrid system includes a 25 kWh battery and two electric motors on the front axle. The combination delivers 1,800 horsepower with a weight of 1,995 kilograms.
If the goal is to create a lighter model, one would simply need to remove the components that add extra weight, that is, everything related to the hybrid system, although the trade-off would be a drop of one or two tiers in performance.
Removing the battery and electric motors, along with the heavy automatic transmission, would allow for a reduction of about 300 kilograms. It would still be a model weighing nearly 1,700 kilograms, so it wouldn’t be light by any means, but the savings would be significant. The downside is that the V16 would still produce around 986 horsepower, a power level still typical of a top-tier hypercar, but almost half of what the Tourbillon delivers. The positive aspect is that the driver would find it somewhat easier to manage the performance through a manual transmission.