Bugatti Galiber 2012

The Galibier could be the ultimate Bugatti. Described by Dürheimer as “simply the best luxury sedan in the world (and) the most beautiful large four-door in the world,” it is engineered to surpass all standards and break new ground in its segment. Dürheimer promises the Galibier will go “faster than anything on the market” and, he adds, this includes tuner cars. The 235-mph mark will be surpassed. The awesome performance of the Galibier will be made possible by a 16-cylinder engine that we believe will produce close to 1400 hp. Officially, Dürheimer will confirm only that it will achieve “over 1000 hp.” The squeaky-clean exhaust gases likely will exit the Galibier through eight tailpipes, like on the 16 C Galibier concept car, which was unveiled at an invitation-only event held at the company’s headquarters in Molsheim, France, in September 2009. That concept has been tinkered with over the years, and while the actual car will be proportioned similar to the 2009 concept, it will be an entirely new vehicle. Some prototyping work has been executed by Italdesign-Giugiaro, now a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, but the final design still is in flux at this point. “A Bugatti . . . is finished when the artist has signed it off,” says Dürheimer, and in this case, he refers not primarily to the design team, but to the head of the VW Group’s supervisory board, Ferdinand Piëch, and Group CEO Martin Winterkorn. Both are taking a personal interest in the project. And that is for good reason, as Dürheimer hints at “innovative ideas that are a first in the automotive business as a whole.” No details are disclosed at this point, but he is not referring to hybridization, even though this may be a necessary evil. Reassuringly, Dürheimer promises: “Right now, the priority is sheer power, not a hybrid.” First Drive: 2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse First Drive: 2013 Ferrari F12berlinetta Road Test: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 While the Galibier will draw heavily on the 16 C Galibier concept, with its 8.0-liter W-16, there are two other impressive precursors: The Giugiaro-styled 1993 EB112 concept, powered by a 6.0-liter V-12 and the 1999 EB218 concept, which was powered by a 6.3-liter W-18 engine. From what we’ve heard and seen so far, we can promise you that all three predecessors will be humbled by the upcoming production car.