Bugatti expanded its lineup last month when it introduced the Chiron-based Divo at Pebble Beach. But it looks like the ultra-premium brand plans to go even further, adding a completely different vehicle to its lineup.
Speaking with CarAdvice, Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann said, “For me, the brand is ready to do more than one model.” But he also added that it depends on whether the Volkswagen Group can find the investment amid its focus on autonomous tech and electric vehicles. If Bugatti does add another model, it’s likely to be something other than a traditional sports car.
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“It’s clear that if we do something different from a super sports car, something different from the Chiron, then it would not be enough just to be in love with one type of car,” Winkelmann said. “We would look very different at every body style and also regional demand, see what is going up and what is going down, and also in terms of pricing. We would not put our money into something which is fading.”
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So what is Bugatti cooking up? It’s unclear at this point, but Winkelmann admitted that a saloon channeling the 1927 Royale would be “very credible.” Another clue: Bugatti, under the leadership of Wolfgang Durheimer, had reportedly approved a four-door fastback previewed by the 2009 Galibier concept, although we’re not sure if this plan is still in place. CarAdvice speculates the new model could be an SUV given the increased popularity of this segment in recent years. If so, it would follow in the footsteps of Rolls-Royce, and now Ferrari, which claims it will have a model ready in 2019 or early 2020.
Winkelmann ushered in the Lamborghini Urus during his 11-year tenure at Bugatti’s sister company, so never say never to a Bugatti SUV.