2010 Bugatti 16 C Galibier

So, it looks like Bugatti is finally going to be going ahead with that sedan they've been speaking about in hushed tones forever. For the past century or so, rumors have said the thing will be called the Boudreaux, and that it would feature a tuned-down version of the Veyron drivetrain. Finally, although not officially, the big Bugatti sedan, now to be called the Bugatti 16 C Galibier, has been revealed.

Appropriately enough, the car was given a preview in Molshiem, France, the ancestral home of Bugattis (before they became, essentially, uber-VWs all dressed in sang blu). To call the car striking might be a bit of an understatement. It has a big, heavy road presence, even in photographs.

Bugatti says the big sedan, which should hit the streets sometime in 2010 is set to be "the most exclusive, elegant, and powerful four door automobile in the world." Hard to argue with that, or at least the 'exclusive and powerful' parts. Elegant will be in the eye of the beholder. Although the polished metal sure looks nice.

One other thing to note is that pretty smart integration of the central spine that runs down the back and over the rear glass. An homage to the Bugatti Atlantics of old, I would imagine. As is the traditional horseshoe grill, which seems much better integrated into the 16 C Galibier's from than on the Veyron

Under the huge hood sits a huge engine. The mill is a 8.0 Liter 16 cylinder engine pumped up with a two stage supercharging system and an ethanol mode (whatever that might be). All that power (unmentioned at this time) gets to the tarmac via a four wheel drive system, and is controlled with a performance suspension stopped with exotic ceramic brakes.

On the inside it's retro, retro, retro – except of that small-ish flatscreen. It has a simplicity that is very reminiscent of Packards and Maybachs and, well, Bugatti sedans from the 1920s and 30s. There are two centrally located dials and the now fashionable analog clock on the main dash, and that's about it. And no, not just any clock, it's from Parmigiani, a Swiss fine watchmaker. It's removable and called Reverso Tourbillon, that can be worn on the wrist via a cleverly designed leather strap.

Source: TopSpeed