All posts in “w16”

Bugatti says the W16’s days are numbered

Bugatti’s W16 engine is likely to be irreplaceable for the hypercar maker. The company’s CEO Stephan Winkelmann has stated that there will not be a successor for the quad-turbocharged engine.

Speaking to the Australian CarAdvice, Winkelmann said that there will not be a new 16-cylinder engine to replace the existing unit, but that the company will look further to the future. “This will be the last of its kind,” said Winkelmann. “Sooner or later the legislation will force everybody to take radical steps. […] If you want to be on the edge of advanced technology, it’s important you choose the right moment to change.” Currently, the nearly-1,500-horsepower engine does duty in the Chiron and the newly unveiled Divo.

However, the W16, as it stands, isn’t quite dead yet. Winkelmann stated that the company will do its “utmost” to keep the venerable engine alive, and that it will keep being honed further in the quest for more power, as the hypercar horsepower race is hot and heavy. Dinosaurs die hard, it seems.

Still, Winkelmann is eager to push the envelope for an alternate approach, saying that the company could focus on different things than getting more power from the W16 unit. According to the CEO, if there is a hybrid powerplant or an electrified solution for future Bugattis, the powertrain needs to be more than up to the task. “If the weight of the batteries is going down dramatically — as it is — and you can reduce the emissions to a level which is acceptable, then hybridization is a good thing, but it has to be a solution that is credible for the people who are buying Bugattis today.”

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September 10, 2018 / Comments Off on Bugatti says the W16’s days are numbered
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Chiron Sport: Carbon Fiber Windshield Wipers

Quad exhaust ports, unique to the Chiron Sport.

Quad exhaust ports, unique to the Chiron Sport. Expensive wipersExpensive wipers

With a price tag over $3 million, a special edition of Bugatti Chiron debuted during the Geneva Motor Show. Meant to keep your motor juices flowing, the iconic W16 quad-turbo engine is still running the show. It’s also sports ’16’ on the front grille just in case you forgot.

Chiron W16 quad-turbo engine

Chiron W16 quad-turbo engine

It’s the track-focused version of the Chiron (as if that wasn’t nutters already), with stiffer suspension, torque vectoring, and carbon fiber windshield wipers.

This is probably something we can’t buy at your local NAPA Auto Parts but we digress. It also went into a 40 lb. diet and quad exhaust to differentiate yourself from the no-other-person that owns the Chiron in your neighborhood. The track upgrade does not compromise the GT characteristics it’s known for, as it’s still great to cruise cross-country or through an apex.

You can’t go wrong nor hate the Chiron. It’s an automotive feat to produce over 1,000 horsepower and have it available to the public. The Sport just cranks up the exclusivity just a little bit more, and the red-black motif is delicious.

March 7, 2018 / Comments Off on Chiron Sport: Carbon Fiber Windshield Wipers
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