Bugatti has full order books for the Chiron and Bolide, meaning that it's time for the leaders of the hypercar maker to start considering what's next. Mate Rimac, who also runs the eponymous EV maker, offers an idea of what to expect from the new model in an interview with Automotive News Europe.
"The easiest thing for us would be to take the Nevera and slam a Bugatti logo on it and call it a day. But I was against it. I'm an electric car guy, but a Bugatti should still have a combustion engine for some time. But it will be developed in a way that is financially viable," Rimac told Automotive News Europe.
Gallery: Bugatti Rimac joint venture
Rimac describes the new Bugatti as being "heavily electrified" while making use of "a very attractive combustion engine." There's no info yet about the powerplant's displacement or cylinder layout.
These quotes are in line with Rimac's earlier statements about the future Bugatti. Last year, he admitted that the model had been under development for about a year. He hinted that the company's wealthy clients might get a preview of it in 2022. People without the cash to buy one need to wait until 2024 for the public debut.
Rimac expects folks to be "astonished" by the new Bugatti, according to an earlier video interview. He says the model has never-before-seen features on a production car.
The shape of the next Bugatti model is still a mystery. It might not necessarily be a mid-engined vehicle, though. Rimac is open to the possibility of building a coupe with a long hood or a crossover-shaped machine for the brand. The future of Bugatti also includes a full EV that Rimac wants to introduce before the end of the decade.
Rimac and Bugatti merged in 2021, with Porsche also holding a 45-percent share in the newly combined automaker. Rimac is building a new headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia. In this interview, Rimac says he wants the site to be part of the larger community. "We have kids driving around here with their little bicycles, looking at how we do things. I would feel terrible if we had to exclude them," he told Automotive News Europe.
