Drunk on the power output? Bugatti Galibier concept runs on ethanol
Bugatti Galibier concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
After months of speculation, Bugatti has finally pulled the wraps off its new four-door supercar concept just ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show at an event for past customers and Bugatti-intenders. Up to this point, we've been referring to the French über-sedan as the Bordeaux, but it seems the actual car's moniker will be Galibier – the name of a difficult Alpine pass along the Tour de France.
Powering the Galibier concept will be a version of Bugatti's ridiculously powerful eight-liter W16 powerplant. Unlike the mill propelling the Veyron to ludicrous speed, this version is mounted up front and is capable of running on ethanol fuel, which may or may not allow the automaker to squeeze a few more ponies out of the engine... not that it needs it, of course. Plus, when swilling as much alcohol as the Galibier would be likely to ingest, it's hard to think of a car like this as eco-friendly.
One of the Galibier's most striking features is undoubtedly its two-tone outer shell, which is comprised of both polished aluminum for the doors and front fenders and a unique dark blue carbon fiber weave that shines through when illuminated. We also note a prominent center spine that recalls past Bugattis like the Type 35 and the classically beautiful Type 57.
Current reports peg the Galibier's top speed at 217 miles per hour (350 kilometers per hour), which, while slower than the Veyron's epic terminal velocity, is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Check out our gallery of high-res images below.
Gallery: Bentley Galibier concept
[Source: Net Car Show]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris M 4:08PM (9/14/2009)
The name is mis-spelled, it is spelled with two Zees and no B.
GUZZLER.
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Matt234 4:11PM (9/14/2009)
Sweet ride. In other news: look at this M1 Abrams I converted from jet fuel to bio diesel! My commute is now much more eco friendly, and just as safe from attacking conventional forces.
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Turbofrog 4:44PM (9/14/2009)
Something about the overall profile reminds me of the Continental GT. I must say, the overall lozenge effect is not what I'd call beautiful. But I didn't like the Veyron, either.
I suppose at the upper end of the spectrum, you aren't paying for beauty, you're paying for distinction, and ugliness is unique when you're paying metric dollars...
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Mark Kiernan 5:08PM (9/14/2009)
I wish dinos like this and Ferrari could be pulled kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Where is the EV?
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Carney 1:12PM (9/15/2009)
Um, electric cars were around in the 19th century.
future-autos.blogspot.com 6:25PM (9/14/2009)
Ha ha, look at what the gallery says: "Bentley Galibier"
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Dan Frederiksen 10:45PM (9/14/2009)
why is this a news item on this site??
are you taking money for bringing such things here or is it just a lapse in judgment?
it's as green as opec is
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Carney 11:31AM (9/15/2009)
Ethanol is FAR greener than petroleum.
When burned, ethanol emits substantially less NOx than petroleum. What's more, ethanol vapor (released, like gasoline vapor, from refueling leaks or imperfect combustion) is less than a tenth as reactive to atmospheric NOx as gasoline vapor. Finally, ethanol vapor washes out of the air when it rains, unlike gasoline vapor which is stubbornly persistent. Thus, overall, ethanol means FAR less ozone smog.
The story's even better with conventional smog, which is caused by smoke, soot, and particulate matter (SSPM). When burned, ethanol emits no SSPM at all. Zero. That would transform the skies of Los Angeles or Houston. Indeed, Brazil has already seen a dramatic improvement in urban air quality since going for ethanol in a big way. Meanwhile, the EPA says that 40,000 Americans die each year from smog. Aren't you tired of black snow at roadsides?
Ethanol is not a carcinogen; gasoline is riddled with them.
Ethanol is not a mutagen; gasoline is teeming with them.
It is physically impossible for ethanol to cause water pollution for two reasons: it dissolves readily in water, and it is readily biodegradable. By contrast petroleum products remain localized and concentrated. If the Exxon Valdez had been carrying ethanol, it would have melted away into the vast hydrosphere in days if not hours, and been broken down into harmless components. Wouldn't it be nice to have no more rainbow slicks on roadside puddles or recreational waterways?
Dan Frederiksen 12:30PM (9/15/2009)
carney, does that look like a car that a thoughtful person would drive? or does it look like the car of an old greedy son of a bitch that would send the world to hell if he could make a few dollars in the short term.
do you really think that bastard would go out of his way to find bio ethanol to put in it??
even if we forget that it is extremely wasteful with the energy. wake up.
the journalist is either a fool or corrupt.
Carney 1:10PM (9/15/2009)
I have no greater regard for a "thoughtful" person who seeks smug self-satisfaction, if not fashionable social acclaim, in competing to see who can be a more pointlessly ascetic eco-Puritan, than I do for a wealthy man who can afford luxuries and does so, especially when the fuel involved is clean-burning and renewable.
Mark 3:43AM (9/15/2009)
Bugatti is Italian.
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Mark 3:55AM (9/15/2009)
I stand corrected. You learn something every day.
paulwesterberg 7:19PM (9/15/2009)
I think it looks like a giant chrome phallus.
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rocky88 10:06PM (9/18/2009)
the photos say bentley concept....instead of bugatti
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