After Bugatti recently ended the Veyron’s ten-year production run, the carmaker has debuted the ‘Vision Gran Turismo prototype’ at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, showing the potential for Bugatti to develop a car capable of lap times as quick as LMP1 racecars.
Bugatti’s 450th and final Veyron, the Grand Sport Vitesse ‘La Finale’ edition, brought the company’s 10-year production run of the world-record holding car to an end and opened the door for a new model.
The company’s recent concept car, designed for PlayStation’s video game franchise Gran Turismo, hints at the aggressive styling and performance benchmark expected to be set, with Bugatti hinting at more world-records and racecar rivaling lap times.
On the simulated Le Mans track that Bugatti used to test the concept car, the Vision’s immensely powerful engine and all-wheel-drive system enable it to reach 400kmh four times and use straight-line speed to achieve lap times as fast as real Le Mans cars.
And at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Bugatti took the opportunity to showcase the Bugatti Vision show car in the flesh.
But the Bugatti Vision isn’t the Veyron’s successor
Bugatti has announced that the successor to the Veyron will be called the Bugatti Chiron, named after Formula One Bugatti driving champion Louis Chiron. The ‘Chiron’ is set to use the same all-wheel-drive and 8-liter W-16 as the Veyron, albeit uprated to more than 1,400bhp.
President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S Wolfgang Dürheimer spoke in an official statement about the company’s future and successor of the Veyron.
“Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is the first stage on a new journey that Bugatti is embarking on following the successful completion of its Veyron chapter, and which will culminate in the unveiling of the next Bugatti super sports car in the not too distant future.
“This project (Grand Turismo Vision) showcases Bugatti’s new design language, which we have developed to celebrate this new chapter in our company history.”
The Vision provides design innovations that are likely to find their way into the Bugatti Chiron, with features such as a steering column mounted display showing three exterior camera views to create a safer driving experience.
The Vision is made almost entirely of carbon fibre and in a further stretch to cut weight, Bugatti used a particular form of lightweight suede throughout the interior that is normally reserved for Formula One racing shoes.
Any question of whether Bugatti’s next offering can live up to the Veyron’s unparalleled reputation can be answered, as Dürheimer makes it clear the company intends to remain on top.
“We’re building the world’s fastest, most exclusive, most luxurious and most powerful production super sports car,” said Dürheimer.
