Bugatti-Rimac: Bugatti Merges with EV Startup Rimac Automobili

Rimac Automobili is taking over Bugatti

Bugatti and Rimac are going for a merger, under a new name, Bugatti-Rimac. While Bugatti is known for its luxury supercars, Rimac specializes in electric hypercars. Both auto-manufacturers will finalize their deal between October and December this year

Bugatti-Rimac

The arrangement between Bugatti and Rimac was administered by Porsche, which owns 24% stakes in Rimac. As part of this new deal, Rimac will control the stake with 55% of the ownership. On the other hand, Porsche will be holding 45% of the share.

Bugatti will continue the production of its vehicles in Molsheim, France, at the brand’s factory. Though, the new company will be based in Zagreb, Croatia. Eventually, the Bugatti-Rimac global headquarters will be located at the Rimac Campus in Sveta Nedelja, Croatia, planned to open in 2023.

Regarding the deal, the CEO and founder of Rimac, Mate Rimac stated, “This is a truly exciting moment in the short, yet rapidly expanding history of Rimac Automobili and this new venture takes things to a completely new level.”

“I have always loved cars and can see at Bugatti where passion for cars can take you. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am by the potential of these two brands combining knowledge, technologies and values to create some truly special projects in the future.”

Currently, Bugatti is under ownership by Volkswagen and has been powering the recent vehicles with an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 petrol engine. However, now the company needs to comply with the emission regulations that seem to get tighter.

Hence, one can expect that the next generation hypercars will have components similar to the Rimac Nevera. Though, Mate Rimac stated that the new venture will not simply be recycling the older vehicles.

This was in response to the widespread view that the company might just take Rimacs and put on a Bugatti badge on the them.

Rimac stated an interview:

“What some people expect might happen is that we take a Nevera and slam a Bugatti logo on it and call it a Bugatti. That’s absolutely not going to happen. That’s not what we’re going to do. I’m a car guy, and while of course we want to make a profitable company, we will not just recycle what we have,”

“We will not just restyle or hybridise the Chiron to make a new car. We’re developing a completely new product from the ground up, because we think that’s the best way to go, and that product will still have a combustion engine.”