The Volkswagen Group is considering a small, mid-engined Bugatti that would be prived dramatically lower than today's $1.3 million Veyron supercar. The two-seat sports car, planned as both a coupe and a roadster, is envisioned as a Lotus Elise competitor and would be paired with Volkswagen and Audi versions.
To keep the marque going when the limited-edition Veyron expires, the brand needs a new car before 2010. Another budget-busting technical tour de force is out of the question, and Porsche's stake in the VW Group means a new Bugatti can't tread on Porsche's turf. A mid-engined sports car powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder is no threat to Porsche, puts Bugatti firmly on the map, and offers opportunities for VW and Audi as well. But is something so far afield drom the Veyron really brand compatible?
Insiders point to Bugatti's past. The best-known model may have been the mighty and ostentatious Royale, but the cars that actually sustained the brand were light and nimble sports cars that won races yet were also street legal - such icons as the Type 35 and the Type 51.
To avoid creating a gene-manipulated VW roadster adorned with Bugatti badges, the must-have ingredients include:
- An aluminum spaceframe structure
- Unique exterior desin using a modern shape but recognizable Bugatti elements, such as a horseshoe grille, multispoke wheels, and two-tone color schemes
- An interior featuring minimal instrumentation, painted metal, hammered aluminum, and leather, but no wood and as little plastic as possible
- Corporate electronics complemented by unusual surfaces, switchgear, gauges, and lights
- No carryover components in the chassis - everything that determines ride, handling, and roadholding must be tuned to specification
- A seven-speed, twin-clutch automaic transmission as the only avaliable gearbox
- A four-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbo FSI engine (output is set for 280 hp, with a 320 hp version to follow) with its own power and torque curves and Bugatti-specific intake and exhaust systems
- A target weight of less than 2500 lbs
- Selective distribution through the group's premium brand dealer network
Explains one of the men involved: "[It's] exclusive in appearance and content, the performance is best in class, and the price is relatively low for such an exclusive label. The trick is to keep supply well below demand. That means no more than 5000 or 6000 cars per year, maybe fewer. The price must be below $60,000 - that's a lot for a four-cylinder engine but a bargain for a Bugatti."
$60k for a Audi TT with Bugatti badge.
