LuxuryAutoDirect.com gets Exclusive Look at the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car

Story & Photos by Mike Daly

Bugatti is currently attempting to elicit feedback on the recently unveiled 16C Galibier sedan concept by inviting customers and members of the media to participate in interviews that will help the company gauge the strengths of the car and its potential market viability.  Two exclusive invite-only events, a November 5 presentation in Beverly Hills and a similar effort to follow in Dubai, mark only the second and third exhibitions of the concept car.  Bugatti designer Achim Anscheidt and worldwide head of marketing and sales Alasdair Stewart were part of a contingent of Bugatti personnel that presented the Galibier at Beverly Hills’ Ace Gallery and explained how the car’s visual cues had evolved from seminal prewar models such as the Type 35 and Type 57 Atlantic, as well as the 16.4 Veyron. 

 The 16C Galibier takes its name from the 8.0 liter W16 engine also used in the Veyron, as well as the 2,645-meter southern Alpine pass whose name graced the Type 57 Galibier saloons of the 1930s.  As in the 30s cars, the C refers to compression, in this case provided by two superchargers (as opposed to the Veyron’s four turbochargers).  Anscheidt described the prodigious W16 as “our most unique selling point for this car.”

 Like the one-off Sang Bleu version of the Veyron GrandSport that was exhibited at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the 16C Galibier concept is finished in a two-tone color scheme of blue-tinted carbon fiber and polished aluminum.  Though the garish use of materials is appropriate for an exotic sports car such as the Veyron, or even a concept car such as this Galibier, those in attendance seemed to concur that the color scheme would not translate well to a production version.  Flashy materials aside, though, the Galibier concept is a stately and impressive car, true to Bugatti’s reputation for cutting edge technology and artistic craftsmanship.  From a raised center spine that traces from the front fascia through the rear hatchback (even visually continued through the windshield by an elongated mirror support), to the company monogram outlined by the headlamp filaments, this Galibier is replete with aesthetic details.  The car is larger than photos would suggest, and particularly from the front, strikes a pose of stately elegance.  In a visual cue that is probably more presentational than functional, two separate panels on the hood automatically rise from a central hinge in what the company describes as a butterfly bonnet, clearly a modern translation of the hand-lifted hood covers that granted engine access to the mechanics of yesteryear.

 Bugatti opulence is even more pronounced in the car’s interior.  A large knurled wood console that stretches from door to door is minimally accented with instruments, including two large central gauges that measure power use and speed.  Between them lies a chronograph by Parmigiani that can be removed and worn as a wristwatch.  Artfully constructed leather seats are accented with classic wicker, a suggestion of a material more common to coachbuilt cars of the 30s.  The wicker is also employed in door trim that doubles as speaker covers.  Anscheidt explained that innovation is required in using such classic cues and materials to avoid the dreaded “retro” label.  “We’re always striving for a new interpretation,” he said.  “Sometimes this new interpretation comes in technical terms, sometimes in stylistic terms, but never just the same” as the original.  Bugatti tradition is even evident in the trunk, where a handmade luggage set contains a vintage leather racing helmet and goggles. 

 As this Galibier is still a concept, Bugatti offered no hard numbers in terms of anticipated performance.   The car does not share a platform with any other, and has been engineered from the ground up as an individual model.  Bearing in mind that the car’s W16 was originally devised for mid-rear placement in the Veyron, we asked Anscheidt if challenges were posed in fitting the powerplant into a frontal location, and what impact the new placement had in the remainder of the concept’s layout and overall design.  He conceded that at first he was concerned, but soon realized that the W16’s remarkably compact construction would not affect the rest of the Galibier’s creation.  “If we had to deal with a monstrous engine in the front it would have translated on to the rear of the car which would not have been beneficial for the overall sporty character that was important for us.”

 Bugatti has also declared that the W16 will be flex fuel capable, able to run on either traditional gasoline or E85.  It is surely no coincidence that Bentley, another marque owned by the VW Group, has already begun to integrate similar flex fuel technology into their model line.  When pressed to explain the connection, Anscheidt readily admitted that Bugatti would be foolish not to capitalize on its parent’s research and development gains.  “As much as we’re looking for individual customer solutions, we’re not closing the door on the benefits that we can have from the overall Volkswagen Group in terms of the latest technology.”

 Focus group questions sought reaction to the Galibier, including opinions and criticisms.  They also asked how much such a car should cost and if a market for the car truly exists.  Though there is clearly a limit to the number of auto enthusiasts in the world that are capable of dropping $2 million on another car, it seems that Bugatti would ignore a glaring market gap by not producing a sedan.  Furthermore, Bugatti has a renowned history of producing elegant touring cars and saloons, including the original Galibiers.  A new Bugatti sedan of some kind would seem to be the long-awaited legacy to those prewar classics.

 Depending on customer feedback, Bugatti will either continue with this Galibier concept, or change course by developing one of a number of alternative sedan ideas that Anscheidt stated were in “healthy competition.”  Anscheidt would not commit to clarifying the chances that this car will reach production, but did suggest that Bugatti will likely soon field a sedan that is based on significant input from the company’s customer base.  “We very much need to and want to involve [our customers] in our processes.  Our customer base is not that vast – between 200 and 400 people.  We need them; we want to tailor our products with and for them.”

See our previous post on the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car