Tag Archives: Mate Rimac

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Rimac Hands the Keys to a New CEO

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If you were building a Mount Rushmore of modern European automotive disruptors, Mate Rimac would already be chiseling his own face into the granite. At 38, he has managed to do what most industry veterans need a lifetime to attempt: run not one, but two globally significant car companies. But even the most ambitious founder eventually runs into the same immovable object—time.

This week, the Croatian electric powerhouse confirmed a leadership reshuffle that feels less like corporate housekeeping and more like a strategic rebalancing of an empire. Former COO Nurdin Pitarević steps up as CEO of the Rimac brand, while Rimac himself transitions to president, freeing him to focus more intently on his role at Bugatti, where he remains CEO. Taking over the COO role is Marko Brkljačić, who has effectively been operating in that capacity already.

The Real Story Isn’t the Cars

On the surface, this might read as a changing of the guard at the company that built the 1,914-hp Rimac Nevera, the EV hypercar that rewrote the performance record books. But the truth is more industrial—and arguably more important.

Rimac today isn’t just a boutique hypercar manufacturer crafting carbon-fiber lightning bolts for the ultra-wealthy. It’s a Tier 1 technology supplier moving tens of thousands of battery systems and high-performance power units annually. The real growth engine is Rimac Technology—the division that quietly powers everything from limited-production exotics to major OEM electrification programs.

And that’s precisely where Pitarević comes in.

The Operator Takes the Wheel

Pitarević arrived from Continental with the kind of operational pedigree you don’t usually associate with hypercar dream factories. Over the past several years, he has served as Rimac’s right hand, translating vision into production lines, and ambition into contracts. If Mate Rimac is the visionary who imagines a 250-mph electric missile, Pitarević is the executive who ensures the battery modules arrive on time and under budget.

In Rimac’s own words, Pitarević blends “deep operational experience with clear strategic thinking and a strong sense of people and culture.” Translation: he’s the adult in the room when scaling from dozens of cars to tens of thousands of high-voltage systems.

His mandate runs through 2030 and beyond, and it’s anything but modest. The roadmap includes sweeping digitalization powered by artificial intelligence, plus development of next-generation solid-state batteries—likely in partnership with ProLogium Technology, following an agreement signed in September 2025. If solid-state tech reaches production viability under Rimac’s roof, the company won’t just be building the fastest EVs in the world—it could be supplying the chemistry that defines the next decade of electrification.

Beyond the Nevera

Yes, the Nevera still exists as a rolling proof-of-concept for what happens when engineers are given free rein and a carbon budget that rivals a space program. And yes, the newly revealed Bugatti Tourbillon signals that combustion—albeit heavily electrified—isn’t dead in Molsheim.

But the broader play stretches far beyond halo cars. Partnerships with BMW Group and Ceer Motors are already public. Additional joint programs remain under confidentiality, which in automaker-speak usually means “very real and very expensive.”

This is where the leadership shift makes sense. Rimac the founder thrives on moonshots. Rimac the supplier needs structure, scale, and relentless process optimization. You can’t personally oversee hypercar development in France while simultaneously managing exponential battery output in Croatia—not if you plan to sleep.

Founder as President, Builder as CEO

Importantly, Mate isn’t going anywhere. As president, he retains strategic oversight and the cultural stewardship that made Rimac what it is: fast, fearless, and engineering-obsessed. But day-to-day execution now belongs to Pitarević.

In Silicon Valley terms, this is the classic transition from founder-CEO to founder-chairman. In automotive terms, it’s more unusual—and more telling. Hypercar startups don’t typically evolve into global battery suppliers. Then again, most hypercar startups don’t end up controlling Bugatti.

If Pitarević successfully scales Rimac Technology through AI integration, solid-state breakthroughs, and deeper OEM entanglements, this move won’t be remembered as a simple executive reshuffle. It’ll be seen as the moment Rimac stopped being just the company that built the world’s wildest electric hypercar—and fully embraced its role as one of Europe’s most important EV technology architects.

For enthusiasts, nothing changes. The cars will still be outrageous. The numbers will still be absurd.

But behind the scenes, the company just shifted into a higher gear.

Source: Rimac Automobili

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From E30 to EV Empire: Inside Mate Rimac’s Deep BMW Passion

While the world knows Mate Rimac as the electric hypercar visionary and the CEO of Bugatti Rimac, true enthusiasts recognize another facet of the Croatian tech magnate: his enduring love affair with BMW. Long before the Nevera and the Bugatti-Rimac Campus outside Zagreb, Rimac was just a teenager transforming an old BMW 3 Series E30 into an electric dragster in his garage—a project that would ignite a journey into the future of performance.

Now 37, Rimac has amassed not only a groundbreaking automotive empire but also a BMW collection that reads like a love letter to Munich’s finest. A recent visit by Top Gear to the newly opened Rimac Campus—set to become a key battery production site—offered a rare glimpse into the entrepreneur’s personal garage. Until operations begin, the state-of-the-art facility doubles as a temporary home for Rimac’s remarkable car collection.

Among the usual suspects—Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari SF90, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie—are several prized Bavarian machines. BMW’s iconic “M” badge is well-represented: from a pair of M3 E46 CSLs to an M3 E90 and the original E30 M3 Sport Evolution. His first collector car, a Z4 M Coupe (E86), is also parked under the same roof, a reminder of the moment Rimac decided to begin curating a personal fleet.

One notable absence from the garage during filming was his M5 E39—a fan favorite—but a recent post on social media confirmed the V8-powered super sedan still has a place in his heart (and his garage). Over the years, he’s also been seen behind the wheel of an F90 M5 Competition and an M6 E64, underscoring his appreciation for BMW’s diverse M powertrain legacy—from V8s to V10s and turbocharged monsters.

Speaking of which, Rimac isn’t done with the E30 platform just yet. In a nod to his early electric days, he’s expressed a bold vision: transplanting BMW’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 (the S85 from the M5/M6) into an E30 3 Series. But don’t worry, the rare and revered EVO III won’t be sacrificed in the name of performance—Rimac is eyeing a separate donor car for this ambitious restomod project.

His ties with BMW run deeper than personal preference. In 2023, Rimac Group inked a deal with the BMW Group to co-develop battery technology—a strategic partnership that could influence the next generation of BMW EVs. While official updates have been sparse, the implications are huge: Rimac’s high-density, high-performance battery tech could soon power BMW’s future electric M cars.

In many ways, Mate Rimac embodies the convergence of heritage and innovation. He reveres the analog mastery of BMW’s golden era, even as he reshapes the performance landscape with electrons. Whether he’s piloting a Valkyrie or wrenching on a V10-swapped E30, Rimac proves that the soul of driving can live in both the past and the future.

Source: Top Gear via YouTube

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How Bugatti Engineered the Tourbillon to Redefine Hypercar Packaging

In the world of hypercars, the line between performance and artistry is often blurred. For Bugatti, that line disappears entirely with the Tourbillon, a vehicle that does more than set new benchmarks—it rewrites the blueprint of what a hypercar can be. At the heart of this transformation lies the Tourbillon’s packaging strategy: a masterclass in mechanical architecture, aerodynamic innovation, and uncompromising design philosophy.

Unveiled in Episode 9 of Bugatti’s “A New Era” documentary, the Tourbillon’s structural layout is a bold departure from its predecessor, the Chiron. As Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, succinctly puts it:

“When you develop a car, especially from scratch, you can never look at a single component individually without taking the whole context of the car into account.”

A New Powertrain for a New Era

Central to this context is the all-new V16 engine—a naturally aspirated unit that’s both longer and narrower than the outgoing W16. This wasn’t just an engineering curiosity; it was a pivotal design decision. Mounted at an angle, the V16 allows for the creation of ultra-long Venturi tunnels that begin beneath the cabin and stretch halfway down the car. These tunnels generate significant downforce from below, meaning the Tourbillon achieves its phenomenal grip without relying on active aero like a deployable rear wing.

That radical approach is only possible because of the revolutionary powertrain layout. The gearbox, traditionally mounted in front of the engine, is now located behind it. At the front, dual electric motors power the axle independently. There’s no mechanical link between the engine and the front wheels—freeing up space for a centrally-mounted battery that sits between the two axles. This layout doesn’t just optimize weight distribution—it shrinks the frontal area, crucial for high-speed performance.

“People sometimes forget that the total dynamic resistance of a car is the drag coefficient times the frontal area,” Rimac reminds us. “So, it’s really important to reduce the frontal area, especially for a hypercar that goes the speeds that we do.”

Aerodynamics as Architecture

Every surface, every duct, and every component on the Tourbillon has a role to play. The front end is a clear example of this philosophy. Behind the iconic Bugatti horseshoe grille, airflow is directed through a complex path that cools the front motors, battery, and brake systems. Even the chassis, in its barest form, channels air with aerodynamic precision—proving that at Bugatti, form and function are not in competition; they are collaborators.

At the rear, the massive diffuser is more than an aerodynamic element—it’s a structural one. Instead of a conventional crash beam, Bugatti integrated two 3D-printed, crash-absorbing metal structures directly into the diffuser. This dual-role design approach reduces weight while improving safety and efficiency.

Intelligent Materials and AI-Driven Engineering

Another signature of the Tourbillon is its suspension system, which features airfoil-shaped wishbones partially exposed to the airflow. Traditional components would disrupt aerodynamic flow, but here, 3D printing and AI optimization allow for an ideal balance between structural integrity and aerodynamic finesse.

Bugatti’s engineers, working atom by atom, removed every ounce of unnecessary material. The result? Components that look almost biological, with organic structures designed for strength, lightness, and airflow. This is more than engineering—it’s computational artistry.

Philosophy in Motion

From the angled V16 to the topologically optimized suspension arms, the Tourbillon embodies a holistic design philosophy. Nothing exists in isolation. Every element is part of a seamless integration, a coordinated symphony of performance and purpose.

In this car, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, software, structure, and soul converge. The result is a hypercar that not only surpasses the Chiron but sets a new precedent for the future of performance vehicles.

As Mate Rimac aptly summarizes:

“The Bugatti Tourbillon focuses on both individual components and how they work together to enhance the overall car in terms of weight, packaging space, aerodynamic efficiency, downforce, performance. It was not an easy task for the team, but the result is outstanding.”

Indeed, the Tourbillon doesn’t just look fast—it’s built with the precision of a watchmaker and the vision of a sculptor. Bugatti hasn’t just entered a new era. They’ve defined it.

Source: Bugatti