Baby Bugatti gets go-ahead.

[Yperion]

Baby Bugatti gets go-ahead.

Congratulations are in order, because there's a baby Bugatti on the way! The model doesn't have a name yet, but the famous horseshoe grille is set to feature on a new 'cut-price' supercar.

The distinctive emblem already adorns the world's fastest production model, the 252mph Veyron. However, it has an £830,000 price tag, while the new machine is expected to sell for £90,000.

Sources say it'll be named after a 17th century painter - so Vermeer, Caravaggio and Rembrandt are all possible. However, fans who are hoping for a junior version of the 16-cylinder Veyron monster look set to be disappointed. Unlike the 987bhp two-seater, the baby model is set to follow more traditional lines.

The entry-level Bugatti is expected to be a front-engined 2+2 using either a VW VR6 or V8 motor. And, as with the Veyron, it could boast all-wheel drive. It'll go head-to-head with Aston Mar-tin's DB9 and the Bentley Continental GT - and as Bugatti, like Bentley, is owned by the VW Group, it could even use the latter's platform to cut costs.

Engineers have already started work on the project. The final design is expec-ted to be signed off early next year, paving the way for a 2008 launch. However, development of the Veyron was plagued by problems, and bosses will be keen to avoid a repeat of that situation.

Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/62765/baby_bugatti_gets_goahead.html

 

[Yperion]

This old Autocar article has some CGI of the car: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News_Article.asp?NA_ID=208980&EL_ID=3070116&ST=fromcurrentresults

 

[Centurion]

Will the car be based on the R8 platform?

 

[dOmInIX]

With VR6 against Continental's W12??! Don't think so!

It would be really strange to me to see V6 Bugatti.

 

[Yperion]

The new baby Bugatti will have at least 800 hp according to some sources so the engine will probably be the same with facelifted Murcelago's (meaning a 6.5 lt V12) but with the addition of two turbos.

 

[LaArtist]

minimum V8 in a bugatti otherwise its a scandal..

PS
Yannis if it will have 800hp V12 it will not cost 90K.. never..

 

[warot]

This Bugatti will need at least a V10... and that probably won't happen unless they take an engine from Lamborghini. Otherwise, Bugatti is going to compromise of a 90,000 and 800,000 pound cars.

Personally, I think 90,000 is pretty conservative. It's going to be more than that.

 

[dOmInIX]

The new baby Bugatti will have at least 800 hp according to some sources so the engine will probably be the same with facelifted Murcelago's (meaning a 6.5 lt V12) but with the addition of two turbos.

Then, there's no need for it. It would again be stronger and faster than every other car out there, as a Veyron!! I think it's not really a good idea!

 

[wltsm]

I wonder how VAG are going to brand bugatti, because Lambo is the sporty outrageous company and Bentley is the luxurious company, I wonder is Bugatti will be inbetween those two brands!

 

[Yperion]

The 90k figure is all wrong. The new Bugatti will be far more expensive than Murcelago meaning at least a price of 400k euro.

 

[warot]

I wonder how VAG are going to brand bugatti, because Lambo is the sporty outrageous company and Bentley is the luxurious company, I wonder is Bugatti will be inbetween those two brands!

Nice point. VAG have all these nice companies and they cover pretty much every market possible. Maybe the way to go is to put Bugatti at the very top and make them the most expensive cars of VAG. Therefore, as Yannis pointed out, 90k is all wrong.

 

[Yperion]

Bugatti is marketed as the "outrageous" brand of the group , both in performance and in price. Expect the new model to be ultra luxurious and fast but very very expesive also.

 

[Centurion]

I wonder if the car is going to be as sharp as the Gallardo or a fast-in-a-straight-line GT car.

 

[Choleric]

I dont know the story behind these or how credible they are but his looks like a cool cgi nonetheless

 

[kovachian]

I see that Bugatti ignored Porsche's advice on sticking exclusively to $400K+ ultra luxury exotics. It won't have 800 hp, what on God's green Earth does one have to smoke to come up with that? Even if it did, I flat out guarantee everyone right here and now that it'd be way over £90K.

 

[Centurion]

I dont know the story behind these or how credible they are but his looks like a cool cgi nonetheless

Very good looking chop but unfortunately that doesn't look like a 2+2 to me. Thank god VAG isn't going to kick themselves in the ass my launching a mid engined Bugatti priced below 200k. The 2+2 idea is excellent but in order to keep the brand exclusive the car should be priced like the 612 Scaglietti, in order words in the mid 200k spectrum.

 

[Deutsch]

Porsche can't possibly be happy about this.

 

[dOmInIX]

I wouldn't like to see the same styling as on Veyron! As it was already stated here, why on earth Bugatti should have 2 models with more than 800 hp...Bugatti doesn't make any profit on Veyron, furthermore VAG is loosing much money on Veyron so it would be logical to make a 400-550 hp, 300 k € car to make some money, no?!

 

[ALI]

I dont know the story behind these or how credible they are but his looks like a cool cgi nonetheless

 

[FasterHigherBetter]

Bugatti doesn't make any profit on Veyron, furthermore VAG is loosing much money on Veyron so it would be logical to make a 400-550 hp, 300 k € car to make some money, no?!

The baby Bugatti should be a $450k car with 600+ hp.
The SLR Mclaren is going down.