Even though the Volkswagen Group is massively investing in electrification, the elite brands of the conglomerate are not so eager to embrace the zero-emissions trend. That makes sense when you take into account Lamborghini only has V8, V10, and V12 models while Bugatti exclusively offers a W16 hypercar.
Now leading Lamborghini and Bugatti, Stephan Winkelmann sat down and had a chat with Top Gear magazine about the future. He expressed his desire to keep the internal combustion engine alive for “as long as possible,” arguing the two brands are low-volume manufactures and therefore are less of a burden on the environment. He went on to mention Bugatti owners barely drive their cars, with the average annual mileage of a Chiron being around 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers).
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The President and CEO of the Molsheim and Sant’Agata Bolognese marques doesn’t see an electric supercar or hypercar in the foreseeable future, adding it won’t arrive sooner than the end of this decade. He explains EV tech has not evolved enough in terms of charging times and performance, and there are also the cost and legislation issues that need to be considered. In addition, Winkelmann wants to make sure customers are ready to accept the idea of an all-electric Lamborghini and Bugatti.
While Bugatti has yet to rock down to the electric avenue, Lamborghini has taken its first step with the Sian FKP 37, an Aventador-based supercar that uses hybrid technology based on supercapacitors. Winkelmann said the biggest priority in his second tenure at the fabled Italian brand is the Aventador’s replacement, which has already been confirmed to use a naturally aspirated V12 with hybrid assistance.
The next Huracan and Urus SUV also rank high on the list of priorities, and Lamborghini is also paying close attention to electrification. Without going into details, Winkelmann said he has seen what the brand’s R&D boss and head designer are working on, but details won’t be disclosed for a while.
As for Bugatti, the company was ready to commence work on a second model, but the coronavirus forced the VW Group to put the brakes on a vehicle that would’ve complemented the Chiron. The model in question was believed to be a more affordable car, possibly a grand tourer in the same spirit as the Galibier concept. It would’ve had two useable rear seats and a higher ground clearance, but not SUV-like tall.