Bugatti is one of the oldest surviving car manufacturers, having first formed way back in 1909. The French firm has never pandered to the mere mortal, instead opting to produce only the finest and fiercest road and race cars ever produced. Naturally then, the engines that power these exclusive cars will be considerably more special than what's under the hood of your typical daily-driven hatchback.

However, after the astonishing success of the record-shattering Veyron, and follow-up Chiron hypercar, Bugatti clearly knew they had to break the mold with its next release. Stepping away from the now iconic quad-turbocharged W16 engine, the latest effort from Bugatti is nothing short of a mechanical masterpiece – here's everything that makes it special.

HotCars has read up on the game-changing Tourbillon by pouring through recent releases from Bugatti and then bringing the most accurate and relevant information on its hugely impressive V16 engine here, for a deep-dive into what makes this huge new powerplant so special.

The Tourbillon V16 Is Bugatti's All-New Naturally Aspirated V16

Fast Facts

• Despite an uncharacteristic lack of turbochargers, the Tourbillon's engine produces a whopping 1,000 horsepower
• Much like the Murray T50's awesome V12, this V16 has been designed in conjunction with Cosworth
• Bugatti boasts that its V16 is packed full of Formula-One technologies

Bugatti is not known for doing things in half measures. Famously, the Veyron and Chiron that preceded the Tourbillon featured W16 engines. Keen to impress once again, Bugatti has decided to revive the V16 engine, by working alongside legendary engine builder, Cosworth, who also helped Gordan Murray perfect his T50 V12 engine.

Last seen under the hoods of Rolls-Royce and Cadillac cars of the late 1930s, a V16 engine has not been present in a production car since – that's an 85-year hiatus. Cadillac did flirt with the idea of a V16-powered luxury car in the early 2000s, with its Sixteen Concept car, but alas, it remained only as such. So, just by its very being as a production V16 engine, we already know this engine is something special, and unseen for over 8 decades.

Whereas the V16 engines of old were leisurely in comparison, this Cosworth creation is nothing of the like. Unlike the numerous quad-turbocharged Bugatti engines that have been utilized by the brand in recent years, this 16-cylinder unit is completely naturally aspirated. Despite a lack of boost, power output from the engine alone (electrical assistance aside) is a Veyron-matching 1,000 horsepower. Constructed out of lightweight materials throughout, it also only weighs 555 lbs, which will help to counter the additional weight from three electrical motors. Interestingly, it actually weighs less than the Chiron it replaces.

According to Emelio Scervio, CTO of Bugatti Rimac, they have created an engine "free from compromises and built with a timeless dedication to creating a memorable driving experience." Great news for the lucky few that will be able to pilot the Tourbillon. He also comments that the "raw analog feel of a naturally aspirated combustion engine" was immensely important to the build, and although it wasn't the easy route, it was the right decision to design such an engine from the ground up.

Three Electric Motors Provide Additional 800 Horsepower

There aren't many applications where 1,000 horsepower isn't enough, but for a flagship Bugatti, some more grunt is required. Instead of calling upon a swarm of turbochargers, as has been the 'go-to' method for Bugatti since the EB110, electrical assistance has been the source of choice for the Tourbillon. Specifically, three electric motors are in use here, with two within the front axle, and one at the rear. The motors themselves spin up to 24,000 rpm and can provide a total of 37 miles of pure electric range. Perfect for city cruising, and a great (albeit expensive) alternative to a Tesla or Prius.

1,800 Horsepower V16 Poised To Make The Tourbillon The Fastest Bugatti Yet

Engine & Performance Specs

(Specs courtesy of Bugatti)

As should only be expected from an all-new Bugatti, the performance on tap is nothing short of miraculous. The stats provided by Bugatti would suggest that the electrified V16 definitely is something special, and perhaps no stats better display this, than the stunning acceleration figures.

62 mph is achieved in 2 seconds flat, and in just over double time, the digits once again double. The Tourbillon requires less than 5 seconds to hit 124 mph, less than 10 seconds to hit 186 mph, and then just less than 25 seconds to hit 248 mph – which is 400 km/h. In contrast, the Chiron requires 42 seconds to achieve the same feat, and even that was a world record.

The Tourbillon doesn't stop there either, as it has the grunt to carry on and hit 276 mph while smashing the rev limiter at 9,000 rpm in every gear along the way.

The Tourbillon Represents A New Era For Bugatti

Bugatti Hypercar Comparison

(Specs courtesy of Bugatti)

Comparing the Tourbillon against Super Sports and WREs would be unfair, as Bugatti has not had the chance to develop such versions of the Tourbillon yet. So, for want of a better term, it's the 'base' models we have chosen to compare here.

A quick look at the powertrains shows just how drastically different the Tourbillon's V16 is, opting to break the chain of quad-turbocharging. Opting for electrification though has continued the upward trend in output, with figures surging from 560 to 1,800 horsepower, across the EB110 through to the Tourbillon. The Chiron doesn't look too far behind at 1,500 horsepower, but that's still 300 horses shy, which is almost a full Golf R.

Top speed comparison shows a similar trend. No 'new era' Bugatti could be considered slow, but the Tourbillon is in a class of its own and should be set to take the title of the fastest production car in the world, if Koenigsegg or Hennessey don't respond, or beat Bugatti to the punch. Without such a special engine, the Tourbillon wouldn't be able to compete, but this electrified V16 seems more than ready to take on anything the hypercar world could throw at it.