--- title: "Bugatti’s Quad-Turbo W16 Engine Will Go Out on a High Note" description: "While most performance cars switch to using smaller, more efficient engines, Bugatti has stuck with an 8.0-liter W16 engine." date: "2022-07-31" modified: "2022-07-31" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/bugattis-quad-turbo-w16-engine-will-go-out-on-a-high-note" categories: - "Bugatti News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "bugatti" --- # Bugatti’s Quad-Turbo W16 Engine Will Go Out on a High Note ![]() For almost 20 years, [Bugatti ]()watched every other automaker in the industry gradually downsize and turbocharge their engines. Even the worlds highest-performance sports cars have switched to smaller, more efficient engines. But not Bugatti. Instead, it's stuck with its mighty quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine, which is currently the largest production engine on sale, both in terms of displacement and cylinder count. And because of the industry's current trend, it will likely never be topped. In 2005, Bugatti shocked the world with the Veyron's quad-turbo W16 engine. It was unlike anything anyone had seen in a production car before and gave the Veyron 1,001 PS (987 horsepower). That PS figure was important to then-chairman of the board at VW Ferdinand Piëch, who wanted to create the first production engine with over 1,000 PS. He initially drew his idea for the engine on an envelope while on a high-speed train in Japan. The drawing was originally for 18 cylinders, but while the cylinder count was knocked down to 16, the now-iconic "W" cylinder bank design remained. ![]() ![]() ![]() “We had to engage in basic development for every component; every vehicle part had to be constructed anew and tested—even the engine test bench. The only thing we didn’t change was the pencils we used for drawing,” said former Bugatti head of technical development Gregor Gries. Not only did the engine meet Piëch's power requirements, it was also smaller than a V12, thanks to its dual eight-cylinder bank design. Piëch also wanted it to be smooth and easy to use and it was. The Veyron was capable of cruising at triple-digit speed with ease and it had a seemingly infinite amount of power on tap, at any speed. The Veyron was capable of 217 mph (350 km/h), which made it the fastest car in the world. ![]() ![]() ![]() It's one thing to be powerful but it's another to be powerful *and* durable. To keep the W16 cool enough for such high-speed operation, a unique cooling system had to be developed, which used over 40 liters of water. A special Bugatti Ion Current Sensing (BIS) system had to be developed to eliminate engine knock because the engine was so smooth, even a misfire was difficult to detect. Fast forward to 2016, and the Bugatti Chiron debuted with a massively updated version of the W16, this time making 1,500 PS (1,479 horsepower). It's the Bugatti engine that's still in production today. To make that extra power, larger sequential turbochargers were fitted, along with new valves, and increased lightweight materials, among many other updates. The result was a Bugatti that could reach 304.773 mph, making it the first production car in history to pass 300 mph. In the track-only, one-off[ Bugatti Bolide](), the W16 engine made 1,825 horsepower. ![]() ![]() ![]() Engines like the Bugatti W16 aren't long for this world. The market is switching over to smaller engines, hybrid powertrains, and full electrification in many cases. There won't be many more technical engine marvels like Bugatti's mighty W16 again. It truly is the last of its kind and will be remembered as one of the high points in the history of internal combustion. ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()