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Robert Irlinger, former BMW Top Executive, Joins Bugatti Rimac

Robert Irlinger, former BMW Top Executive, Joins Bugatti Rimac

Bugatti Rimac, has appointed Robert Irlinger as Vehicle Line Director, reporting directly to Mate Rimac and responsible for overseeing the development of upcoming and future Bugatti and Rimac models. Robert joins from BMW, where he was Chief Engineer on the next-generation modular electrified ‘Neue Klasse’ project. Robert will be joining Bugatti Rimac on October 1.

Bringing 25 years of experience within the BMW Group alone, Robert’s most recent roles include Senior Vice President of the electric BMW i range of cars from 2017 to 2020 including BMW i3, i8 and BMW iX, all debuting a number of world-first features. His insights into advanced vehicle concepts, complex integrations of innovative powertrains and electronics and the revolutionary use of carbon fibre are the perfect background for his future role at Bugatti Rimac.

From 2020 on Robert’s work on the Neue Klasse project has focused on the development of a fully new modular EV architecture that will underpin all electric  BMWs from 2025. It’s a ground-up approach to vehicle development, focusing on electrification, digitalization and circularity.

“Very few people have been working with EVs at the highest level for as long as Robert has. He has helped to develop and launch a number of pioneering electrified cars for one of the biggest automotive brands in the world, and was entrusted with overseeing the architecture that would underpin each and every one of their cars from 2025 – a huge responsibility for a very talented engineer. Robert brings to Bugatti Rimac this visionary approach, an incredible eye for detail and a wealth of experience that will help to steer our incomparable line-up of next-generation models.”

Mate Rimac

Mate Rimac

Founder and CEO of Rimac Group

“Mate’s work has been on my radar for a long time, stretching right back to his Concept_One in 2011. As my career has focused on cutting-edge electrified vehicles I’ve been amazed by the speed and ingenuity of Mate’s business. Now, with his role overseeing both Bugatti and Rimac Automobili brands, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to set new benchmarks for full EV performance cars and to steer an entirely new plug-in hybrid direction for the most revered automotive manufacturer in the world.”

Robert Irlinger

Robert Irlinger

future Vehicle Line Director Bugatti Rimac

Robert Irlinger joins Bugatti Rimac at a time of intense development for both the Bugatti and Rimac brands. Robert will join Bugatti Rimac’s team headquartered on the outskirts of Zagreb, that will, in time, transition to the brand new global €200M, 100,000m2 Rimac Campus currently in construction. A new innovation hub in Berlin expands the company’s European footprint, and Robert will work alongside engineers and designers there as well. Bugatti maintains its production facilities in Molsheim, France, where it will continue to manufacture its cutting-edge hypercars.

About Rimac Group

The Rimac Group, led by CEO Mate Rimac, is majority shareholder of Bugatti Rimac and the sole stakeholder of Rimac Technology. The Group brings together the most advanced hypercars in the world with a globally renowned team developing high performance electrification, autonomous and software solutions for the world’s largest OEMs. Rimac is based on the outskirts of Zagreb, Croatia, with locations around Europe, and currently employs more than 2,000 people. In future, the Rimac Group will be headquartered at a new state-of-the-art 200,000 m2 Rimac Campus, large enough to accommodate over 2,500 people.