The Chiron’s successor will be heavily influenced by Rimac.
For nearly two decades, Bugatti has used a similar engine architecture for all its model — a massive 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16. This power unit has been manufactured for years to produce more than a thousand horsepower and mind-boggling top speed. However, the combustion engine era is nearly over, and Bugatti has announced the next generation will use a hybrid V8.
The French carmaker confirms the Chiron’s successor will debut in 2024, featuring a new and leaner chassis thanks to the smaller engine. Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti’s design director, says changing a well-optimized design will create a new problem. He claims making a car to outperform the Chiron is a tall order even for the makers.
That said, it’s worth noting the next Chiron will also be the first Bugatti model with Rimac’s heavy influence. For context, Rimac now holds a 55% stake in Bugatti. But the hypercar manufacturer has confirmed the Chiron successor will be designed from scratch, with no parts shared from the predecessor nor existing Rimac cars. Perhaps that explains the conservative production schedule, which was announced to start in 2026.
In addition, the upcoming Bugatti will be Achim Anscheidt’s last creation. The 61-year-old German folk has been working as chief design director for the brand since 2004 and announced he’d step down to create a room for Frank Heyl to fill in his role. Indeed, he has played a crucial part in designing modern Bugatti models, including the famous duo Veyron and Chiron. Thus the Chiron replacement should mark the end of Anscheidt’s design era, making it possible for us to see a fresh design soon in Bugatti’s lineup.
Anscheidt was responsible for a handful of special edition Bugattis as well, such as the Veyron Super Sport, Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, Hermes, and others — including the forgotten four-door four-seater Galibier concept. His brilliant work based on Chiron’s platform also includes the Centodieci, Bolide, Divo, La Voiture Noire, and the latest convertible Mistral; all sold out for millions of dollars worth.
Overall, while it’s sad to hear Bugatti’s axing the Chiron and its mighty W16 engine, we’re excited to see what seems to be Achim Anscheidt’s final chapter in Bugatti. Not to mention it’ll be the first-ever Bugatti-Rimac collab. So naturally, we can’t wait for the announcement next year, and we’ll let you know as soon as we can!
