Bugatti Could Flip the Super Luxury SUV Market If It Green Lights an SUV

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By Kirby Garlitos

Published Oct 6, 2018

The sentiment within Bugatti is that the company wants to add a second model

Just when you thought the super-luxury SUV market calmed down with Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce in the fold, Bugatti could enter the fray and turn the whole segment upside down. That’s the word that came out from no less than Bugatti’s own president, Stephan Winkelmann, at the Paris Motor Show. No confirmation has been made on the matter, but Bugatti is legitimately thinking about expanding its lineup, and an SUV reportedly has the inside track on getting greenlit if the company decides to give the Chiron hypercar a stablemate.

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Note: 2019 Bugatti Divo pictured here.

Well, a lot can happen in 10 years, especially in a business as ever-evolving as the auto industry. Not only do the three aforementioned automakers already have SUVs, but we could be adding Bugatti to that list in the not-so-distant future.

Volkswagen Group’s ultra-luxury brand is probably the last automaker you’d think of when it comes to SUVs, and while that thought had merit in the past, that isn't the case anymore. No less than Bugatti’s own president, Stephan Winkelmann, admitted to Automotive News Europe at the 2018 Paris Motor Show that the company is considering expanding its lineup beyond the Chiron.

“The brand is ready for more," he said. "The W-16 engine is at the core of the brand today, but it won't remain the heart forever."

Earlier this decade, the automaker came close to building a luxury super sedan, identified at that time as the Galibier. Bugatti even created a few versions of the sedan before ultimately shelving it. But now, the French automaker is once again sitting on the idea of a second model, only this time, the discussion revolves around an SUV and not a sedan. The reason for that is simple: SUVs are selling like hot pancakes these days. The popularity of the segment is what spurred Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce to develop and launch their own SUVs. If Bugatti revisited the idea of developing a sedan, it would come at the expense of taking advantage of the SUV market’s growing popularity.

A Bugatti SUV, on the other hand, could work, according to Winkelmann. If it does happen, it would be entering a sub-segment — the super-luxury SUV market — that doesn’t have an established alpha model. Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce all have theirs, but none of their models have established themselves as the best of the pack. There’s room for Bugatti to come into the picture and claim that title for itself.

Note: 2019 Bugatti Divo pictured here.

Developing an SUV could also coincide with another important decision Bugatti has to eventually make: hybridization. Winkelmann’s comments about the W-16 not being sustainable in the future because of fuel economy and “social acceptance” is a reality that Bugatti needs to address at some point in the future. "We need to come up with a convincing pitch to our shareholders that justifies the related investment," Winkelmann commented.

That “convincing pitch” could pave the way for a hybrid-powered Bugatti SUV. Are you all ready for that future?

Note: 2019 Bugatti Divo pictured here.0}