The Bugatti 16C Galibier -The Elegant and Powerful Four-Door Automobile
Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. emphasised that this Galibier is a concept study which the company is considering for the future of the Bugatti marque, but said that the initial feedback received from customers and opinion formers on it had been very positive.
Arte – Forme – Technique are the brand values which have guided the design and engineering team of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. in the development of the Galibier. With this new four-door concept car, Bugatti assumes anew a leading role in the use of new material combinations. The concept on show utilises a mix of carbon fibre parts and aluminum, painted in Atlantic Black. Carbon fibre possesses great rigidity but is also extremely light.
The Galibier’s design masters the challenge of uniting sportiness with the comfort and elegance of a modern four-door saloon. Beneath the bonnet, which folds back from both sides, there resides a 16-cylinder, 8-litre engine with two-stage supercharging. Four-wheel drive, specially developed ceramic brakes and a new suspension design give the car agile, precise handling despite its saloon dimensions.
The interior reflects the elemental design of the exterior. The dash panel has been reduced to the essentials; two centrally located main instruments keep even the rear passengers constantly informed of the actual speed and utilised performance. Parmigiani Fleurier, the Swiss manufacturer of prestige watches, created the Bugatti tourbillon concept for the Galibier: a tourbillion watch integrated in the car’s dashboard that can be removed and transformed – thanks to the cleverly designed supports – into a wristwatch, a pocket watch or a table clock.
