Bugatti Galibier based on Bentley Mulsanne

The Bugatti Galibier and Bentley Mulsanne. Cousins or non-identical twins?

The Bugatti Galibier has some startling similarities to the new Bentley Mulsanne. Is the Galibier a re-skinned Mulsanne?

A new Bugatti doesn’t happen every day. A new Veyron special edition may feel like it does, but an entirely new Bugatti is as rare as hen’s teeth. So the reveal last week of the Bugatti Galibier has had the Interweb in a bit of a lather trying to decide where the Galibier will fit in the big scheme of things. And what’s it based on? A stretched Veyron ?  A Panamera? A Continental? A bespoke platform?

There have been comparisons to everything from a Panamera to a Flying Spur via the Rolls Royce Ghost and Rapide. But none of them offer a real alternative to an 800bhp+ four door saloon from Bugatti. But they all miss the point we made over a month ago, that the most likely basis – despite VW’s denials – is the New Bentley Mulsanne.

Do VW expect us to believe that they will develop a completely new chassis for the Mulsanne – by any definition a low-volume car – and then do it all over again for the Galibier – an even lower volume car? Hugely unlikely. And we also think that there will be a Bentley Mulsanne R at some point in the not too distant future, featuring the Bugatti W16 bolted firmly up front and with around 800bhp. Sound familiar?

And if you compare the Galibier with the Mulsanne there are some startling similarities. The wheelbase is identical. The A & B pillars are also bang-on. And even the small extra window at the back is there. It would seem that the Galibier is just a Mulsanne re-skin with the W16 up front.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Bugatti Galibier Photo Image Gallery

Bentley Mulsanne Photo Image Gallery