2016 Bugatti Veyron Could Be A Hybrid

No car better represents automotive excess than the Bugatti Veyron (not shown, above – that’s the prototype ID90), with its 8.0 liter V16 quad-turbocharged engine belting out as much as 987 horsepower and dashing from 0 to 60 MPH in just 2.6 seconds. It can suck down all 26 gallons of fuel in just 12 minutes at top speed, topping out somewhere north of 260 MPH. But Reuters reports that the successor to the Bugatti Veyron could go in a different direction; hybrid.

That isn’t to say the V16 engine is dead. More likely, the 1,000 horsepower mill will be aided by a 500 horsepower hybrid system, which could bring total output into the 1,500 horsepower neighborhood. That means the 2016 Bugatti hybrid could pack as much as 50% more power than the outgoing Veyron, which is expected to meet its 450 unit limit in the next year or so. Beyond those few details though, don’t expect a new Bugatti hypercar for a while yet, as the German-owned French automaker still seems undecided on their new direction.

Hybrid is a great choice for the 2016 Bugatti (2017?, 2018?), no doubt, as there are a growing number of hybrid hypercars such as the 963 horsepower LaFerrari and 887 horsepower Porsche 918 Spyder edging in on Bugatti’s dominance. If Bugatti really wanted to blow some minds though, it would be a no-expense-spared all-electric hypercar with at least 200 miles of driving range and mind-blowing levels of torque. With Tesla opening its Supercharger patents to other automakers, Bugatti could just plug it into an existing charging network. Then again, that might be too drastic of a change for would-be buyers who are expecting an earth-shattering roar every time they stomp the pedal.

Somebody is going to do it eventually though, and if Bugatti wants to stay on top, they might have to do something drastic.

Most Expensive Ferrari Yet is a One-off Hybrid

Ferrari has been developing a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) style hybrid since at least 2012, when the 599 Hy-KERS concept first broke cover. Since then, Ferrari has remained pretty silent in regard to hybrids, adding only the million-dollar/not really a car LaFerrari Hybrid and turbocharged California T to its lineup. Now, however, Ferrari is preparing to unveil the hybrid you see here … just one thing, though, for those of you who think the LaFerrari is overpriced: this one costs over four-point-two million dollars. (!)

That $4.2 million price tag, by the way, makes the car you see here – expected to be called the Ferrari F12 TRS when it debuts, officially – the most expensive Ferrari you can buy new.

That’s assuming, of course, that you’re cool enough for Ferrari to build you one. That’s because this most expensive Ferrari F12 TRS isn’t being built by Ferrari proper, but rather by Ferrari’s Special Projects division, which is (so far) best known for building Eric Clapton a 1980s Ferrari 512BB-inspired 458 Italia that they promised would be his and his alone. That car is reported to have cost closer to $5 million than $4 million. That was a true one-off, though, and it’s believed that the F12 TRS (which is a one-off, at the moment) could be offered to other well-heeled clients, as well – and Ferrari’s recent application for an F12 TRS trademark from Italian gov’t supports that belief.

I’ve sent Fiat/Ferrari an email requesting a test drive. I’m sure that will be ignored with extreme prejudice, however, so until the car’s official unveiling we’ll all just have to stare, drool, and guess at what we might actually be seeing.

Source | Photos: Ferrari Chat, via WorldCarFans.