The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2024 - Issue 36

bitecars A 25 kWh oil-cooled 800 V battery housed in the central tunnel and behind the passengers powers the electric motors. It spins up to 24,000 rpm and accommodates an all-electric range of more than 37 miles. With a four-wheel drive and full torque vectoring, it offers ultimate traction and agility and has a power-dense, ful- ly integrated dual silicon-carbide inverter. The e-axles, including inverters, motors, and gearboxes, deliver over 6 kW per kg of mass. Inside the Cabin Tourbillon’s timeless interior design philosophy is inspired by the horlogerie world, where wristwatches over 100 years old can still be worn and used today. Thus, its cabin features a Swiss- made watchmaker instrument cluster and a crystal glass and al- uminium centre console. The titanium with sapphire and ruby gemstones constructed skeletonised cluster is made up of more than 600 parts and built to the most considerable tolerance of 50 microns, with the smallest at 5 microns. This intricately engineered masterpiece remains the focal point of the driving experience as the rim of the fixed-hub steering wheel rotates around it. Through this ingenious concept, Tour- billon drivers will have an unobstructed view of their instru- mentation independent of the steering angle because the spokes reach around the back of the instrument cluster. The crystal glass centre console reveals the intricate workings of the switches and the engine start ‘pull’ lever. It was developed over 13 separate stages to ensure it was perfectly clear, extreme- ly strong, and safe in the event of an accident. The aluminium console parts are anodised and milled from a metal block. In contrast, the knurled aluminium switches are positioned at the head of a complex mechanism that is fully visible beneath the crystal glass. A hidden high-definition digital screen, which becomes visible when needed, displays vehicle data and offers a seamless mobile connection. It deploys the touchscreen from the top of the centre console with portrait mode for the reversing camera in two sec- onds and full landscape mode in five. Other features include the fixed-floor seats and the electrically adjusted forward and back- ward pedal box to ensure a comfortable driving position for the occupants. The audio system is engineered without traditional speakers and woofers. Instead, it has an advanced system featuring lighter and more efficient exciters (electroacoustic transducers) on the door panel and throughout the car as speakers. These analogue and modernised engineering excellence pursuits mirror Bugat- ti founder Ettore Bugatti’s work of art creations. “It is stunning in every detail, recognisably Bugatti and also a masterpiece of packaging and engineering,” said Christophe Piochon, Bugatti President. On the Outside The new chassis and body structure aremade froma next-genera- tion T800 carbon composition incorporating several weight-sav- ing innovations. Among its capacities, the battery is integrated as part of the structural monocoque and an unprecedented crash composite rear diffuser inspired by top-level motorsport. Com- posite air ducts flow through the front of the car to ensure each part of the rigid, lightweight structure is optimised. Instead of the same double wishbone steel construction in the Chiron, the Tourbillon incorporates an aluminium forged mul- ti-link suspension front and rear. This new organic-designed upright 3D-printed aluminium suspension arm allowed engi- neers to achieve a 45% saving in suspension weight compared to the previous model. The rear also features an AI-developed 3D-printed hollow airfoil arm to enhance vehicle dynamics and aerodynamic performance. Another advanced feature is the brakes, which feature ultimate carbo ceramic technology enhanced with a bespoke brake-by- wire system. They are fully integrated with the moveable ped- al box and blended seamlessly through an integrated vehicle non-linear controller developed by the marque to the hybrid powertrain. The Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tyres, with 285/35 Images courtesy of Bugatti