Hybrid, SUV, or both? Bugatti looks at ways to expand its family

By Ronan Glon Published October 16, 2018

Bugatti Chiron — Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Bugatti surprised fans around the world when it unveiled the Divo, a hardcore evolution of the monstrous Chiron designed specifically to carve corners. Photos of the Divo will perform background image duty on millions of devices around the world, but that’s not the direction the French firm will take as it looks to expand its brand.

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Decision-makers are seriously looking at how to expand the Bugatti brand. It’s a significant shift in their strategy; the company has limited its lineup to a single model since it returned to the scene with the Veyron in 2005. The big question the firm needs to answer is how to reach a new set of buyers without diluting the image of what’s unquestionably one of the most prestigious car brands in the world.

“The brand is ready for more,” affirmed company boss Stephan Winkelmann in an interview on the sidelines of the Paris Auto Show.

Bugatti showed a stunning sedan called 16C Galibier in 2009, and it seriously considered giving it the proverbial green light for production, but the body style is falling out of vogue, especially in key markets like the United States and China. That makes an SUV the most sensible option, especially since brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Lamborghini — which Winkelmann used to run — have already shown the way forward.

Whether it arrives as a sedan, an SUV, or something else entirely, Bugatti’s next model probably won’t receive the 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine that powers the Chiron (pictured). The 1,500-horsepower unit will most likely be phased out at the end of the Chiron’s production run. It’s “the core of the brand today, but it won’t remain the heart forever,” Winkelmann hinted.

Bugatti has joined the growing list of companies looking at ways to adopt electrification. It’s not ruling out a hybrid model but it hasn’t approved the development of one, either. “You have to consider social acceptance in terms of emissions,” Winkelmann told Automotive News Europe.

Expanding the Bugatti brand doesn’t mean bumping it downmarket. Though nothing is official yet, it’s unrealistic to expect the brand will move down into the segment occupied by Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Even a hybrid SUV would carry a seven-digit price tag and likely arrive as a limited-edition model.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

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Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

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Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

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Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

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The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.