The production Tourbillon shifts itself, electrifies itself, and delivers 1,800 hp without asking much of the driver. Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, has reportedly suggested something different is possible: strip out the hybrid hardware, drop in a manual gearbox, and let the 8.3-liter V16 work alone at approximately 1,000 hp. No confirmed timeline exists. No customer program has been announced. This is a leadership-level signal that the idea has legs — and for a certain kind of enthusiast, that signal is worth watching closely.
Strip It Down
A manual version would trade the production car’s electrified overwhelm for something rarer: mechanical involvement.
The standard car’s numbers are formidable — 8.3-liter naturally aspirated V16, three electric motors, 1,800 combined hp, eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, DIN mass below 1,995 kg, top speed of 380 km/h standard and 445 km/h with the Speed Key. Remove the battery pack, motors, inverters, and associated cooling hardware, and mass would drop substantially, though any specific reduction figure should be treated as an engineering estimate rather than an official Bugatti number.
The spec contrast comes down to two very different philosophies:
- Production Tourbillon: 1,800 hp combined, eight-speed dual-clutch, below 1,995 kg DIN
- Hypothetical manual version: V16 alone, approximately 1,000 hp, manual gearbox — no confirmed design, gearing, or packaging details have been publicly disclosed
- Bugatti has not announced a production program, customer allocation, or timeline for such a vehicle
- Rimac has reportedly described interest in lightweight, simplified Bugattis inspired by the historic Type 35 — though no specific model has been announced, and no primary source for those comments has been independently confirmed
The Analog Argument
A gear lever in a Bugatti isn’t nostalgia — it’s a philosophical position about what driving should feel like.
The tension Rimac is reportedly tapping into is genuine. Modern hypercars increasingly rely on electrification and automated transmissions to reach headline performance figures, while a committed segment of collectors still prizes mechanical feedback and analog involvement over raw system output. It is the audiophile argument applied to horsepower — some drivers will always prefer a more direct connection to the machine, even if the numbers tell a different story.
A manual Tourbillon would not necessarily be slower in every measurable sense, though without confirmed specifications any performance comparison remains speculative. What it would be, by design, is less assisted. That distinction is the appeal. Rimac’s reported interest in lightness and simplification, and his described admiration for the Type 35 — Bugatti’s celebrated 1920s Grand Prix racer — suggests the idea reflects a broader strategic curiosity rather than a passing thought. Following Porsche’s sale of its 45-percent stake to an international consortium led by HOF Capital, Rimac Group has moved toward majority control of Bugatti Rimac, potentially giving its leadership more latitude to explore unconventional directions.
Don’t Order One Yet
Possible and confirmed are very different words, particularly at Bugatti’s price point.
A manually shifted, combustion-only Tourbillon would still need to meet homologation and emissions requirements in the markets where Bugatti sells vehicles — requirements that vary by jurisdiction and approval pathway. No public filing, prototype, or formal announcement has been identified. Watch for an official reveal, a one-off commission, or a confirmed prototype appearance before treating this as anything beyond a compelling signal from the top.
Bugatti’s recent legacy rests on being the most — most horsepower, highest speed, most uncompromising engineering statement available. The possibility of a manual Tourbillon suggests the brand may also be considering what it means to be the most honest about what driving actually feels like.
