Bugatti Veyron Successor Spied Testing at Nürburgring
Bugatti’s next hypercar, expected to eclipse the Veyron’s performance, has been caught on video during high-speed testing at the Nürburgring ahead of its official unveiling.
Bugatti’s successor to the Veyron has been filmed in action at the Nürburgring, as the French marque prepares to launch its next flagship hypercar. The prototype, heavily camouflaged and using a development body, was seen lapping the German circuit at speed, suggesting the project is moving into an advanced stage of testing.
The test car’s bodywork closely resembles the outgoing Veyron, but sources indicate this is a mule hiding the new car’s chassis and powertrain. Bugatti ended Veyron production after the final edition’s debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and the company has been open about developing a replacement. The new model is widely believed to be called the Chiron, reviving a name previously used for a concept in the late 1990s.
Powertrain and performance expectations
While Bugatti has yet to confirm technical details, industry sources suggest the Veyron successor will retain the marque’s signature 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 engine. Power is expected to increase substantially over the Veyron Super Sport’s 1,200hp, with figures of 1,500hp and 1,500Nm of torque circulating among suppliers and industry watchers. If realised, this would put the new car well ahead of the Koenigsegg One:1 and other rivals in outright output.
Bugatti is understood to be targeting a 0-100km/h time of around 2.5 seconds. Top speed remains a point of speculation, with some sources suggesting the speedometer could reach 500km/h, though real-world figures are likely to be lower due to tyre and safety constraints.
Development and what comes next
The use of a test mule at the Nürburgring signals that Bugatti is validating the new car’s chassis and drivetrain under high loads. The final production design will differ from the prototype seen on video, with new styling expected to reflect both aerodynamic and cooling requirements for the uprated engine.
With Veyron production now concluded, attention will shift to the new model’s official unveiling, which is expected to follow once testing is complete. For more on the Veyron’s history, see Bugatti Unveils Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Jean Bugatti at Frankfurt.
How it compares to rivals
If the expected figures are confirmed, Bugatti’s new hypercar will outgun the Koenigsegg One:1 in power and could set new benchmarks for acceleration and top speed. The choice to persist with a heavily reworked W16 engine, rather than downsizing or hybridising, reflects Bugatti’s focus on outright performance and continuity with its established engineering approach.
