Monday 4th April 2011

Bugatti Galibier Gets Green Light From Wolfsburg

Super-luxury Bugatti saloon is given go-ahead; could launch in 2013

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The Bugatti Galibier hyper-luxury slaoon concept has been given the green light by VW, according to a report by business website Bloomberg.

Four- and five-door models (or just larger four-seat cars) seem to be a growing segment of the super-luxury market, with the Porsche Panamera selling strongly, the new Ferrari FF sold out for a full year, and Lamborghini seriously considering an Estoque-style four-door saloon.

It therefore only makes sense that Bugatti would want to get in on the act, and the production version of the Galibier 16C concept that was unveiled back in 2009 could hit the streets by 2013-14.

We know that the car will be powered by a de-tuned version of the 8.0-litre W16 motor from the Veyron - and that the Molsheim factory will have to be re-fitted to build the car, thus sounding the death knell for the Veyron.

What we don't know for sure, however, is whether the Galibier will, as we previously reported, share its basic architecture with the Audi A8.

[British Beef]

Who ate all the pies??

That will be one heavyweight beast, with visual aesthetics to rival a Panamera......no thanks!!

[KrazyIvan]

Blimey, size of the ass on that thing, exactly how much junk do execs have to put in the trunk?

[Prince Jefri]

I guess they've got the engine, gearbox etc, etc ready to go. It would be a shame, and a financial crime, not to use them in something else.

[M Powered]

Panamera apparently selling well, so time to roll out the segment to the other brands...

Lamborghini, Bugatti, ... Seat, Skoda...

[FWDRacer]

Just what the world needs right now

[Springbok]

No mention of the best looking car in this class - the AM Rapide.

The Bugatti looks ugly - almost identical to the Panamera from the side. YUK!

[jake15919]

I hope the interior makes it into production., it was very classy apart from having Galibier written on every flat surface.

[Wills2]

Is this going to be £1 million like the Veyron?

[SleeperCell]

Looks like Bugatti have built the fastest truck in the world

[Stu - B]

Looks like two cars joined together around a chrome swage line.

[gezkc]

Hatchbacks very rarely look good on large cars. Even hatchback/boot hybrids like the 5 Series GT and Skoda Superb look pretty awful. The Aston Martin Rapide is one of the only exceptions I can think of at the moment.

Come back 4 door saloons, all is forgiven!

[Vantagefan]

Slaoon sounds interesting - a really new niche?

[jamespink]

British Beef said:

Who ate all the pies??

That will be one heavyweight beast, with visual aesthetics to rival a Panamera......no thanks!!

From reports a year ago the body was in delicious blue tint lacquered Carbon Fibre, not inherently that heavy...

[Vantagefan]

jamespink said:

From reports a year ago the body was in delicious blue tint lacquered Carbon Fibre, not inherently that heavy...

That sounds like the Zonda Tricalore

[Gizmo!]

Is this segment growing because air travel is such as PITA - or seen as environmentally unfriendly - these days? I can't help thinking that these are all fighting over a very, very small niche.

But then, twenty years ago you'd have said there was no call for huge 4x4s because the Range Rover and Toyota Landcruiser were great off-road and if you wanted luxury you bought an S-Class... things change.

[ph123]

I would have thought Durheimer would use the Mulsanne as base artitechure; sure it will run on pond-life (E85) as available. This will be modern Royale surely ...

[fluffnik]

SleeperCell said:

Looks like Bugatti have built the fastest truck in the world

...they are part of the same group as the fast truck builder these days.

[PaulMoor]

I can (sort of) understand the porsche looking the way it dose, having a "brand look". This, however, has no need to ape the Veyron. They have the chance to do something totaly diffrent, but instead they hit a Veyron (not a pretty car in the first place, hansom, but not pretty) with the fugly stick.

[george h]

I can see why Bugatti are doing this, most potential Veyron owners will already have one, and they will probably buy this too

Also is the engine being changed to twin superchargers from four turbos?

[B10]

KrazyIvan said:

Blimey, size of the ass on that thing, exactly how much junk do execs have to put in the trunk?

Please use ARSE and BOOT in future please. An ass is a type of Donkey. A trunk is a large suitcase. For future reference a Fender is a make of guitar.

Thank you