Bugatti Might Pair Its V16 Engine With A Manual Gearbox

It may even ditch its electric motors for a pure ICE with three pedals.

Photo by: Bugatti

By: Adrian Padeanu

Oct 26, at 5:47am ET

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Bugatti has built its reputation on making cars that push performance to absurd extremes, but Mate Rimac is considering a different approach for the brand's future. The company's boss has hinted that the Cosworth V16-engined Tourbillon isn't just a hypercar but a platform, with future derivatives potentially allowing Molsheim to broaden its horizons.

On that note, spin-offs or separate models could include a lighter, more engaging derivative, potentially ditching the hybrid hardware and dual-clutch transmission for a good old-fashioned combustion engine hooked up to a manual transmission. Speaking to Top Gear magazine, Rimac said that, with Bugatti freed from the Volkswagen Group's corporate shackles, it can now think outside the box.

Asked whether Bugatti might install a manual transmission, Rimac was enthusiastic: "Absolutely. You bet." While that doesn't confirm a three-pedal hypercar is coming, the fact that the company is even considering it likely has one-percenters throwing blank checks at Rimac. The "regular" Tourbillon sold out before production even began, so we don't need a crystal ball to imagine a pure ICE, three-pedal version being an instant hit with the super-rich.

Bugatti Tourbillon V16's engine

Photo by: Bugatti

Collectors Would Be Falling Over Themselves To Buy One

Ditching the three electric motors, the dual-clutch transmission, and especially the 25-kWh battery would also make the car much lighter, which would certainly bode well for the driving experience. If I were in a position to afford one, I'd gladly forgo the extra power provided by the hybrid setup in favor of a pure V16 with a stick. Collectors would also line up on the spot to buy one, as it's easy to imagine these cars being worth more than the hybrid Tourbillon 20 to 30 years from now.

The engine itself is already a compelling argument for such a project. The naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V16 produces 986 horsepower without any electric assistance, revs to 9,000 rpm, and develops 664 pound-feet (900 Newton-meters) of torque. That's enough muscle to put a hypothetical manual Tourbillon in a league of its own, even without the electric motors filling in the gaps at low revs.

The bigger challenge would be engineering a manual transmission that could handle that enormous output. Even at this end of the market, adding a third pedal is considerably more complicated than it sounds. Still, the idea of a naturally aspirated V16 powering a road car seemed just as wild until Bugatti actually made it happen.

Bugatti Tourbillon V16's engine

Photo by: Bugatti

A Manual V16 Sounds Crazy, But This Is Bugatti

As a result, a manual gearbox doesn't sound quite so outlandish. It would undoubtedly require substantial engineering work, but Rimac has already shown he's willing to challenge convention. And if there's one brand that can afford to build something simply because it's technically fascinating, it's Bugatti.

For now, Bugatti hasn't confirmed plans for a lightweight Tourbillon with a manual gearbox, so don't take this as an announcement that one is coming. Still, given that Mate Rimac is a true gearhead who knows that electric hypercars aren't selling all that well, an "analog" Tourbillon seems like a no-brainer.

The Tourbillon's gargantuan V16 is already a giant middle finger to the industry's downsizing trend. While other automakers squeeze more power from smaller engines with turbochargers, Bugatti went the other way, developing a naturally aspirated engine with the highest cylinder count ever seen in a production road car.

Bugatti Tourbillon (2026) in Southern Spain

Source: Bugatti

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Three Pedals And Sixteen Cylinders

Pairing that V16 with a manual gearbox would take the rebellious streak a step further. Automatic transmissions have become the default choice even among sports cars, thanks to their ability to shift faster and handle ever-increasing torque outputs. Three pedals are increasingly rare in the performance world, particularly at the hypercar level, where manufacturers obsess over lap times and acceleration figures.

A manual Tourbillon wouldn't be faster, but that wouldn't be the point. It would give owners a more direct connection to the engine and make every gear change an event, rather than leaving the car to do all the work. In a world obsessed with shaving tenths off acceleration times, a car that asks its driver to do a little more would be a breath of fresh air.