A manual Bugatti may sound unlikely in 2026, but Mate Rimac seems very open to bringing three pedals back.
Speaking to Road & Track during Monterey Car Week, the Bugatti CEO was asked whether a manual could have a place in the brand’s future. His answer was an enthusiastic yes, before suggesting the idea of pairing the new V16 with a “real manual”.
Nothing has been confirmed yet, so there is no manual Bugatti model or development programme to point to. Rimac also stopped short of saying where such a gearbox could appear, leaving plenty of room for speculation.
That possibility is especially interesting now that Bugatti is entering a new era with the Tourbillon. The car uses an 8.3-litre naturally aspirated V16 developed with help from Cosworth, producing 1,000hp on its own. Three electric motors then lift total output to 1,800hp.
The Tourbillon itself sticks with an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, so anyone hoping for three pedals will have to look beyond the standard car. One possibility raised by Road & Track is Bugatti’s Solitaire programme, which creates highly exclusive one-off models, but Rimac did not suggest that himself.
Rimac’s mention of a “real manual” also gives us a better idea of what he has in mind. It suggests a genuine clutch pedal and manually operated gearbox, not an electronic system designed to imitate the experience.
For now, Bugatti’s new V16 era remains firmly dual-clutch. But with Rimac sounding this enthusiastic about a proper manual, the idea of combining one with that naturally aspirated V16 suddenly does not seem quite so far-fetched.