The rumors were true – Bugatti is putting a V16 engine inside its next hypercar. The Chiron replacement is set to break cover in June. To ease the wait, the peeps from Molsheim have released a video with the sound of the carbon fiber-bathed engine. As previously hinted by company officials, the combustion engine will be part of a hybrid powertrain.
It won’t be the first production car to use a V16 engine since that honor goes to the Cadillac V-16 from 1930. The American luxury brand revisited the idea in 2003 with the Sixteen concept. A year later, the Rolls-Royce 100EX concept also rocked a V16. The Devel Sixteen also promised a V16 but that car is still missing in action. Lest we forget there were prototypes of a BMW 7 Series Goldfisch and a Bentley Mulsanne with a V16. Perhaps the best-known car to have a V16 was the 1991 Cizeta-Moroder V16T.
Bugatti isn’t willing to provide additional details for the time being. Previous reports hinted that the new engine has been developed by Cosworth with a massive 8.3-liter displacement. It might even be naturally aspirated, which wouldn’t come as a shock since the video does hint at a high-revving engine. However, the only confirmed details are that the powertrain is a V16 hybrid.