Mate Rimac Spotted Driving the Bugatti Tourbillon: The Hypercar That Will Dominate the Next Decade (And the Dubai Plate You’d Put On It)

And if you’re reading this from Dubai, you already know what everyone will ask the second the first customer car touches Sheikh Zayed Road:

Write it in the comments.

A prototype with official test plates at a regular fuel stop hits differently because it signals one thing: validation stage. This is when the car is being driven like a car to stress the systems that never show up on glossy reveal day: thermal management, drivetrain transitions, traction control logic, software safety strategies, and real-world reliability. Media reporting specifically described Rimac sharing a Tourbillon development mule marked “VP1” during winter testing, which strongly supports the “deep validation” narrative.

Calling it “a Chiron on steroids” is understandable, but technically the Tourbillon is something more disruptive: Bugatti moved away from the W16 quad-turbo era and built a new identity around a naturally aspirated V16 plus a high-output hybrid system. Bugatti’s own newsroom materials frame it as a completely new hyper sports car concept designed to feel timeless, not just fast.

These are the headline specs confirmed across Bugatti’s official materials and reputable coverage:

Powertrain

8.3-litre naturally aspirated V16 (engineered with Cosworth)

Three electric motors (two on the front axle, one on the rear)

Total system output: 1,800 hp (1,000 hp combustion plus 800 hp electric)

25 kWh, oil-cooled 800V battery

Four-wheel drive and torque vectoring

Scarcity and positioning

Limited to 250 units

This spec sheet is not chasing a trend. A naturally aspirated V16 in a world of downsizing is a collector’s statement. Add the hybrid punch and you have a car that will feel dramatic decades from now.

Prototypes wearing official test plates usually mean controlled road registration for development and validation drives. It is a subtle but powerful sign that the car is being exercised beyond private test loops.

The honest answer: Dubai will likely be early, but exact timing depends on build slots and allocation.

Customer deliveries are anticipated to begin in 2026 according to multiple credible reports and official-adjacent communications.

Bugatti’s presence and launches in the UAE are already part of the narrative; there is UAE-focused press coverage around introducing the Tourbillon to the region.

Late 2026 into 2027 is a sensible window for the first customer cars to start appearing in Dubai in public, depending on who holds early allocations and when final specs lock.

The crowd won’t just talk about the engine. They’ll zoom into the number plate.

Single digit: pure authority, maximum signal

Two digits: elite, collector-coded, still readable from across the street

Letter-number combo: the modern signature if you choose it correctly

In Dubai, the plate is not an accessory. It is the identity layer.

A Tourbillon with the right plate photographs like a headline.

- If you want the plate to match the car’s presence, shortlist using these rules:

Readability at speed

- If it doesn’t read instantly in a night photo, it’s not Tourbillon-tier.

- Short digits and clean spacing look expensive. Visual balance matters more than people admit.

- Scarcity that holds value

- Ultra-low digits and iconic combos behave like cultural assets in Dubai. They carry attention, liquidity, and long-term collectability.

- Spec-matching

A: Yes. Rimac has publicly shared footage of the Tourbillon prototype in real-world winter conditions, and reputable outlets reported on it as a development mule marked “VP1.”

A: Bugatti’s official materials describe an 8.3L naturally aspirated V16 with a three-motor hybrid system producing 1,800 hp total, powered by a 25 kWh 800V battery, with AWD and torque vectoring.

A: The production run is limited to 250 units.

A: Deliveries are widely expected to start in 2026 in credible reporting and official-adjacent communications.

A: Dubai is likely to see early customer cars, and late 2026 into 2027 is a realistic window depending on allocation and delivery timing. The UAE has already been part of the official regional introduction narrative.

A: Single digits are the ultimate statement, two digits are the collector’s sweet spot, and the right letter-number combo can look ultra-modern. The best plate is the one that reads instantly and photographs cleanly.

The Tourbillon feels like the kind of hypercar people will still call “one of the most beautiful” twenty years from now. It has that rare mix: outrageous engineering, timeless intent, and real-world proof that it is moving from hype into reality.