Revealed at a private event to customers and what Bugatti refers to as "opinion-makers" this past weekend at the firm's home in Molsheim, the 16 C Galibier is a conceptual proposal for a four-door, four seat sedan that could very well go into production in the next couple of years. According to Bugatti's current president, Dr. Ing. Franz-Josef Paefgen, the Galibier is one of several concept studies with which the company is considering for the future of the marque.
For those wondering, "Galibier" was named after one of the most difficult alpine passes along the Tour de France. Bugatti also used the name in the past on a special version of the four door Type 57.
Surprisingly for a car of our age where automotive designers usually try their hardest to create products that stand out of the crowd with distinctively repulsive styling traits, the Galibier 16 C features an uncluttered and straightforward design without any unnecessary gimmicks - okay, sans the.... eight tail pipes at the rear.
Echoing the styling of the famous Type 57 Atlantique, the Galibier 16 C combines a liftback bodystyle with the typical Bugatti radiator grille, large round LED headlights and the distinctive clamshell running the length of the vehicle.
The body of the concept car is constructed of handmade carbon fibre parts colored dark blue while the wings and doors are made out of polished aluminum.
The same straightforward design is also found in the interior. The dash panel elements been reduced to the bare essentials with two centrally located main gauges, a small instrument panel in front of the driver and a large LCD screen on the lower center console.
Underneath the bonnet, which folds back from both sides, there's a 16-cylinder, 8-litre, flex-fuel engine with two stage supercharging that can run on ethanol. Like all high-end VW Group products, the Galibier 16 C comes equipped with a four-wheel drive system.
It remains to be seen if Bugatti will bring its sedan concept car at the Frankfurt gathering as the company's press release did not say whether or not it will introduce the car at the show.
