If you can afford a Bugatti, that purchase probably isn’t going to drain your bank account. The automaker from Molsheim has thought of that, so it’s partnered with Austrian firm C Seed on a branded television so you can watch reruns of your favorite shows while waiting for your Tourbillon to be built.
Just as the V16-powered Tourbillon isn’t just another car, the Bugatti N1 by C Seed isn’t just any old TV. Available in 110-inch or 137-inch sizes, it folds down and out of the way when you don’t want a giant TV cluttering the third living room of your mansion. Bugatti’s press release calls the TV’s chrysalis form “an architectural statement” inspired by the side profile of its hypercars, replicating the distinctive “C” graphic behind the doors. But to me, it looks like a tanning bed or some kind of sci-fi rejuvenation pod.
The form may be questionable, but the function definitely isn’t. The screen can unfurl in just 45 seconds and boasts 4K resolution, with micro-LED elements to deliver deeper blacks and maximum sharpness. C Seed has developed its own “Adaptive Gap Calibration” software to project seamless images onto the segment, foldable screen, while HDR10+ coating is designed to limit glare. The TV can also rotate itself 180 degrees, and the folding design still leaves room for integrated speakers.
According to Bugatti, the TV incorporates “original materials and finishes” used in the Tourbillon, including some carbon fiber. The color palette is also inspired by paint options for Bugatti’s latest hypercar. But this branding exercise isn’t just based on design elements. As Bugatti points out, the idea of a folding TV is very much in line with the “screen detox” approach of the Tourbillon’s cockpit, which features a hideaway touchscreen that lets you fully appreciate the over-the-top gauge cluster assembled by Swiss watchmakers.
That gauge cluster is rivaled only by the naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V16, which is built by Cosworth, revs to 9,000 rpm, and sounds amazing. It’s part of a plug-in hybrid system that also incorporates three electric motors. These push total system output into four-digit territory (1,775 horsepower, to be exact), and will likely add a layer of civility and usability to the high-revving engine. That way you can watch the revs climb on the exquisite analog tach without having to worry about a lack of low-end grunt.
That sounds like an experience worth the multi-million-dollar price of admission for a Tourbillon. But a folding TV is nice too.