Expected in 2013
The financial publisher Bloomberg refers to sources within the VW concern management and reports that the ultimate sedan Bugatti 16 C Galibier will enter production. Volkswagen are supposed to have given the project their blessing and the fastest four-door car in the world is set to see the light of day. It is predicted that the 1,000 horsepower sixteen-cylinder monster will be made by hand in the Molsheim factory and will be available sometime in 2013 at the earliest. The model designation for the ultra exclusive limousine hints at the ambition associated with the undertaking. The Galibier is the fifth highest pass in the Alps and is feared by all who challenge it on their bikes in the Tour de France. And the auto will be a serious challenge to the bank accounts of those who will have to spend a million Euros for the privilege of owning the latest Bugatti.
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- In comparison with the 16C Galibier the Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic looks almost delicate. The new car will weigh in at more than two tons in spite of the use of carbon composites for the carosserie and aluminium for the doors.
A famed predecessor
The 16C Galibier is also an homage to the fabled heritage of the marque Bugatti. The design makes a genuflection in the direction of the 57 Atlantic model which was built in the late thirties. As with the historical inspiration, the Galibier is divided in two by a raised fold in the carosserie starting from the characteristic radiator grill at the front, bisecting the wind-shield, continuing along the roof and ending at the back of the auto. Equally spectacular is the bonnet hood: As with many pre-war car models it consists of two panels which can be opened to give access from the sides. For the Galibier the opening is electrically operated and allows the motor to be admired. The form of the auto’s rear end is also reminiscent of the Galibier’s ancestor, even if at first glance the back of the Porsche Panamera comes to mind. The two sets of four mighty end tubes are certainly a suggestion of the which had six exhaust outlets set in a row. This is maybe not the best possible taste, recalling more the excesses of some tuners in Eastern Europe than the priceless automotive rarity that was the 57 .
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- As in the Bugatti Veyron, there is a sixteen cylinder power plant in the Bugatti 16 C Galibier. But in the sedan there will be two compressors instead of four turbo-chargers.
High tech promising power aplenty
Under the carbon fibre carosserie, embellished with the aluminium side panels and doors, all memories of the seventy years of automotive heritage are forgotten. Here all is high tech. As in the Bugatti Veyron, there is a sixteen cylinder power plant and in the Galibier it has a capacity of eight litres and is boosted by two stage turbo chargers. Power in abundance, certainly, although performance data have not yet been released. There is talk of between 800 and 1,000 horsepower, depending on the fuel used. For the engine is also able to run on ethanol. It is undoubtedly an advantage that this fastest of sedans can take on E 10 at the filling station. Although Bugatti are keeping quiet about acceleration and top speed it is worth noting that the marque has always set high standards. The Veyron can reach an almost incredible 407 kilometres an hour. The speedometer on the Galibier is calibrated helpfully up to 420. The ceramic braking system has been developed specially for the Galibier, which is somehow reassuring. The permanent all-wheel-drive promises enough traction to make the raw power truly effective.
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- The car’s clock is an exclusive model made by the Swiss manufacturer Parmigiani and can be removed from the car’s cockpit and worn on the proud owner’s wrist.
Noble and tasteful in the tiniest details
The interior is as dignified as the salon of a French chateau. The designers have used the finest leather and glossy woods and have strictly avoided any styling excesses. The speedometer and rev counter dominate the dash above the central console where the large format LCD monitor and the climate controls are also housed. The drive selector for the automatic transmission and the multi-media controls are set flat between the front seats giving an unbroken surface. The displays behind the steering-wheel tell the driver how much power the motor is producing at any given time. This is a gimmick only topped by the car’s clock. It is an exclusive model made by the Swiss manufacturer Parmigiani and can be removed from the car’s cockpit and worn on the proud owner’s wrist.
