Porsche->ke1 did it. McLaren->ke284 did it. Heck, the previously stubborn Ferrari did it. Now it appears that Bugatti->ke16 is also considering doing it. By "it," I mean hybrid, or to be more specific, a hybrid supercar.

Reuters is reporting that the extravagant supercar brand is throwing around the idea of using a hybrid system to power the successor to the Bugatti Veyron. For a company that prides itself on those mammoth, 16-cylinder engines, a move to a hybrid powertrain is as surprising as it was inconceivable a few years ago.

But Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Duerheimier is reportedly angling to use a hybrid engine on the Veyron’s successor. It’s unclear if he’s doing this to jump on the bandwagon his competitors are in, but there’s no denying that his position was made because of the reception the Porsche 918 Spyder, the McLaren P1, and the Ferrari LaFerrari have all received.

One thing we do know is that the Veyron successor won’t compromise its performance ethos in the name of using a hybrid engine. The supercar is still expected to be more powerful than its predecessor, possibly generating an output in excess of 1,500 horsepower. It’s also being prepped to eclipse the 267-mph top speed of the Veyron Super Sport and even reclaim the unofficial top speed record from the Hennessey Venom GT.

As Porsche, McLaren, and Ferrari have shown, there’s a place for hybrid systems in the supercar world. Bugatti has spent some time watching its competitors roll out their products one after the other.

It’s the Bugatti’s turn now and don’t be surprised to see the Veyron’s successor packing its own efficient hybrid system .

Click past the jump to read more about Bugatti's future hybrid supercar.

Why It Matters

This just goes to show that the hybrid movement that people ridiculed as a novelty a decade ago has become the future of the auto industry. It began with commercial brands like Toyota, but now exotic brands like Porsche, McLaren, and Ferrari have all jumped on board the metaphorically efficient hybrid train.

The Reuters report that Bugatti is also considering embracing a hybrid supercar is vindication for the system, an emphatic "I told you so!" to everybody who initially scoffed at its long-term sustainability.

For Bugatti, the whole thing does feel like the antithesis of its core identity. But just because that may be the case, it doesn't mean that it's good for business.

You know what they say: "those who get left out, get left behind."