Bugatti EB218, the incredible luxury saloon that never went into production

Bugatti hasn’t only built breathtaking sports cars. The Bugatti EB218 is one of the most impressive luxury cars in the world. This genuinely luxurious saloon was born in a period of constant evolution for the brand from Molsheim. Sadly, this spectacular concept never made it to the assembly line.

This impressive saloon is one of the most spectacular in the history of the automotive industry and of the French brand itself, but it arrived at a turbulent time for the company. In 1998, the Volkswagen Group bought Bugatti and soon striking proposals such as this Bugatti EB218 or the Bugatti EB118 began to emerge.

Refinement and elegance define the Bugatti EB218. It featured slim, flowing, rounded lines. It was powered by an 18-cylinder engine built by joining three six-cylinder engines in a W configuration. It had DOHC valvetrain with four valves per cylinder, making a total of 72 valves. It displaced 6,255 cc and produced 547 CV of power.

Bugatti EB218, a saloon with real class

This luxury saloon could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and reached its electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Its style won hearts wherever it went, and its 18-inch magnesium wheels turned heads. It was all-wheel drive with a multilink suspension, aiming to deliver an otherworldly level of comfort.

The chassis was aluminium, which gave it a weight of 2,200 kg. A figure that is not bad at all considering the engine that powered it and all the luxury within its cabin. The entire interior was covered in a noble material with a predominantly minimalist design. This gem never made it to the production line because Piëch chose sportiness over luxury. That is how the Bugatti Veyron came about.

Now, Bugatti is betting on an electric future. Could this be the exact moment for the brand to launch a luxury saloon? We will have to wait a little longer to see how the French brand’s range evolves. Do you think that if the Bugatti EB218 had reached the streets it would have been a real success? Personally, I think so, and that this model would have marked a before and after in the brand’s future.