Bugatti Veyron

One quickly runs out of superlatives when tryingspecial seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to
to describe the Bugatti Veyron. I'm not even sureallow for all this wild energy to be transferred to
if one should use the word "car" to refer to suchthe road. Needless to say, fuel efficiency was
a monster. Endowed with absolute power and anever an issue in the process, and you'll be
daunting maximum speed, the Veyron looks anddelighted to learn that the Bugatti Veyron has
sounds like it just came out of some impossiblegiven a new meaning to the term gas-guzzler by
future inhabited by gigantic gas pumps.settling for a little more than 2 miles per gallon at
50 years after Ettore Bugatti's death, Volkswagentop speed. In this configuration, the tank would go
used its magic wand to resurrect the legendaryfrom full to empty in less than 12 minutes. All
firm, and to say the least, the German carmakerkinds of rumors are surrounding this unbelievable
did a mindblowing job.ride: pushing hard on this monster will make a set
Motorsports enthusiasts will instantly refer you toof tires last about 125 miles.
the mythical Bugatti Royale from the 1930s, aIt took several years of trial and error to achieve
colossal and majestic masterpiece, sold at such athe Bugatti Veyron's final version. Launched by
prohibitive price that only three people were ableflamboyant CEO Ferdinand Piëch in 1999, the
to afford to buy it at the time. The Royale turnedproject started with a prototype equipped with a
out to be one of the most rare and prestigiousW18 engine (three flatV6's side by side).
automobiles of all times, but despiteSoon, engineers realized they needed a more
record-breaking performances, its endless andcompact structure, and the W16 was adopted
fairytale-like silhouette became above all a symboland installed in a mid-rear position. Fine tuning the
of unequivocable luxury able to make any Rollsbeast was a long and difficult task, and many
Royce look like your everyday sedan. Instead ofincidents occurred during the testing. A lack of
trying to match the Royale's incredible legacy,stability at high speed even provoked an accident
re-Volkswagen decided to look for inspiration inand the destruction of a prototype. In 2003,
Bugatti's racing history to design the Veyron,Piëch was replaced by Bernd Pischetsrieder
rightfully using the name of the famous driverat the helm of Volkswagen, and the new
who won at Le Mans in 1939 behind the wheel ofleadership took the project back to the drawing
a Bugatti Type 57.board. Under the supervision of engineer Wolfgang
We got to drive this exceptional vehicle for a fewShreiber, the Veyron became more stable and
miles in the parking lot of a San Diego countrydrivable. Gordon Murray, the famous and brilliant
club. It's easy to feel intimidated by this incrediblefather of the astounding McLaren F1 of the early
machine, so we carefully and promptly handed it90s who had in the past harshly criticized the
back to its official tutor, French race car driverVeyron initial concept and prototypes, was
PierHenri Raphanel.recently revealing his thoughts on the Bugatti's
The Veyron is unbeatable. Its wide and massivefinal version: "One really good thing, and I simply
shape sets it aside from other supercars such asnever expected this, is that it does change
the sleek Mercedes McLaren SLR or the angulardirection. It hardly feels its weight. Driving it on a
Ferrari Enzo. But the real thrill comes from thecircuit I expected a sack of cement, but you can
Veyron's unrivaled performances: with an enginereally throw it at tight chicanes."
delivering 1001 hp and a top speed neighboringOnly 300 Bugatti Veyrons will be made over the
250 mph, the new Bugatti flies over the road likenext five years. It will cost you no less than $1.5
a rocket in the morning sky. The Veyron goesmillion to get your hands on one of them, but
from 0 to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds, which is no lessapparently, Bugatti has already received 70 firm
than a second faster than a Ferrari Enzo. Pedal toorders. In a classy move, Volkswagen moved
the metal, you can reach 200 mph in little moreBugatti back to Ettore's original headquarters at
than 15 seconds. This is a first in the field ofSaint Jean Castle in Molsheim, Alsace, and the
street-legal vehicles, and you would have to stealresurrected firm should even increase its
a Champ Car to have a chance to catch up withproduction in 2006 to meet the demand. Believe it
the Veyron. To be frank, at the end of the day, Ior not, all in all, the Veyron is a good bargain: its
still wouldn't put a dollar on you.manufacturing costs far exceed its selling price.
Revolutionary techniques were involved in theFollowing the steps of its respectable ancestors,
making of this 21st Bugatti. In order to gather thethis unique automobile is first and foremost a
1001 horsepower needed to establish a newmagnificent and decadent study announcing the
automotive legend, Volkswagen has designed an 8end of an era. Stepping away from the cockpit of
liter W16 engine by mating two narrow-angle V8s.this unforgettable machine, lost in a state of
Peak torque is 922 lb/ft at 2200 rpm No lessdenial, it was almost hard to keep in mind that the
than four turbochargers garnish this frenzieddays of gasoline engines are numbered.
powerhouse and engineers had to come up with a