In the latest episode of Bugatti’s New Era video series, the company discusses how it is pushing aerodynamic performance further with the Tourbillon, which was first revealed to the public in June 2024 and refines the low-drag foundation of its predecessor, the Chiron. “The Tourbillon’s predecessor, the Chiron, was already a low-drag car, but with the Tourbillon, we need to do better than that,” said Paul Burnham, Bugatti’s chief vehicle engineer.
Development began with CFD simulations to explore performance potential. Fifteen months before its unveiling in June last year, Bugatti’s engineering team tested a half-scale model in a wind tunnel in Italy.
“This test represents the first validation of the scale-model. This is the first test in which we assessed different design volumes, and different changes to the car,” explained David Šoštarić, head of aerodynamics and thermal management at Bugatti Rimac.
It was used to fine-tune high-speed performance before shifting focus to handling and dynamic efficiency.
The test model was built from 250 3D-printed components and fitted with over 100 pressure taps across its body panels. By measuring mass flow, static pressure, and air velocity at every key point, engineers validated their expected performance profile – crafted using advanced simulation tools.
Bugatti’s engineers used data-driven insights to refine the Tourbillon’s aero package. They reduced the car’s frontal area, incorporated an advanced rear diffuser and streamlined the cockpit’s exterior profile – all key improvements that build on the Chiron’s design.
The goal throughout the Tourbillon’s development was clear: optimize drag coefficient and airflow across the entire car. Months of work led to a new benchmark in performance. As a result, the Tourbillon can reach its top speed without deploying its rear wing while maintaining exceptional stability.
As engineers refined simulation models with real test results, the Tourbillon progressed from a scale model to a full-size prototype over the next year, requiring increasingly larger wind tunnel facilities.
“We’ve moved on from a scale-model wind tunnel to a full-sized facility, continuing our program of validating the Tourbillon’s aerodynamic performance. Only now, we are using a full-scale prototype, which represents a natural step in enhancing calibration of our simulation tools, getting that next degree of accuracy in results,” said Burnham.
After years of dedicated work, the first experimental prototype validated the aero team’s simulations, paving the way for more advanced prototypes.
“The Tourbillon is a completely new program; we started from scratch. We are merging over a century of expertise in combustion-engine power with state-of-the-art electric performance. The new hybrid system is a significant change from Bugatti models of the past and makes the cooling system much more complex. But that’s why we have taken the detail to the next level; looking intensively at the airflows through the radiator channels at the front, through to the intakes behind the door within the iconic Bugatti C-line, to ensure that our digital simulations align with the physical model and deliver enough cooling to manage the car’s performance.
“The Tourbillon has been created by teams dedicated to the pursuit of perfection. Everyone has been fully committed to making the Tourbillon a new benchmark for the automotive industry, and it is a true testament to the skill and passion that has fueled its development,” said Burnham.
