Cars & Bikes

Utterly Stunning

WITH its 16-cylinder four-wheel drive, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 may well be the
most sophisticated production vehicle of all times

THE Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the fastest, most powerful, most expensive production car in the history of the automotive industry. With its luxurious length of 4.47 m, the Veyron is a perfectly balanced combination of high-powered performance and sleek, racy design.

Even at complete standstill, the car’s enormous power is made visible by its impressive mid-engine, elevated majestically beneath the chassis. Simultaneously, the Veyron’s bold proportions, well-balanced surfaces, and clear line structures give an impression of pure, sleek elegance.

The Veyron has the luxury of a Rolls-Royce, the performance of a Formula 1 car, and the drivability of a Honda. It is a combination that leaves the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the Ferrari Enzo, and other wannabes in the dust. The design of the Veyron honours a great heritage without drifting off into retro style. Every detail of the classic two-tone colour scheme, a quote from the 1920s and 1930s, has been carefully thought out, resulting in the typical Bugatti profile with the classic, contrasting ellipsis – the stylistic element used by Ettore Bugatti himself.

The ‘crest line’, which runs uninterrupted from the hood to the only 1.21- m-high roof, is a proud homage to the Veyron’s forebears. Thus, the Veyron’s classic paintwork and harmonious design connect this state-of-the-art super sports car to the glorious heritage of Bugatti automobiles.

With its classic look, the large radiator grill - adorned with the hand-enamelled Bugatti emblem - represents the grandness of the Veyron. The sports car’s distinctive front is defined by the harmonious contrast of its broad headlights and majestic grill.

The rear end, 1.99m wide, features the formidable retractable spoiler and generously designed fenders. The Veyron perfectly fulfills the main design objective governing the development of the new Bugatti: an uncompromising combination of highest elegance and state-of-the-art technology.

With its 16-cylinder four-wheel drive, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 may well be the most sophisticated production vehicle of all times. Most of the components tucked beneath its hood are ingenious innovations that were formerly only deemed possible by visionaries like Ferdinand Piëch.

Boasting a maximum speed of more than 400km per hour, the Veyron is unmatched in the super sports category. It offers a total of 1001 HP, and its ample power reserves even at high speeds are the fabric of dreams for luxury-class limousines: for a constant speed of 250 km/h, the Veyron only needs 270-280 HP. This means that the seven-gear clutch transmission works with a torque of up to 1250 Newton metres.

The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) ensures the necessary flexibility and manoeuvrability at any speed. The Veyron reaches velocities that would literally lift the car off the ground - if it were not for its ingenious aerodynamics, which keeps it firmly on the road even at full speed.

Adjusting the back spoiler, reducing ground clearance, opening and closing the lids - it all adds to the perfect balance between propulsion and downforce. Such a super sports car may not seem to be brought to a halt easily, but the Veyron’s ceramic brakes slow it down faster than it can accelerate. While it takes this exceptional car only 2.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h, it needs even less time - a mere 2.3 seconds - to come to a standstill from 100 (reference point).

To reduce the risk of injuries in accidents, Bugatti had a Formula 1 safety concept adapted for the Veyron. All these technical details combine to make the Veyron a truly exceptional super sports car.

The development of the Veyron 16.4 is one of the key milestones of 21st-century automotive engineering. Volkswagen CEO Ferdinand Piëch made high demands: the designers were to revive the heritage of Ettore Bugatti with this new super sports car.

Equally challenging were the impressive technical requirements the exceptional serial production vehicle had to meet: a top speed above 400 km/h and more than 1000 HP. A truly formidable challenge. Yet the Veyron 16.4 unites the dichotomy of elegant form and hightech function, of grace and power, aesthetics and safety in perfect harmony.

The Veyron’s exterior styling unobtrusively yet unmistakably quotes classic Bugatti design elements while defining its very own, modern style. Innovations for top performance, high acceleration capacity, and an extensive security system are signature elements of this super sports car. Ettore Bugatti occasionally made technical compromises for the sake of aesthetic integrity. This is the only tradition that was broken in the development of the Veyron 16.4.

The Bugatti 16.4 is masterfully manufactured in the new Atelier in Molsheim, France. The new production facility is located near the former Bugatti headquarters at Chateau St. Jean. It was build under the aegis of internationally renowned architect Gunter Henn. Only a short distance away is the simply designed storage building that houses the parts and spare parts supplied by top European manufacturers.

The futuristic Atelier workshop has little in common with the completely automated production facilities of today’s automotive industry. The modern, functional building is marked by its elliptical layout, calling to mind the shape that Ettore Bugatti himself favoured in his designs - so much so that it is epitomised in the company logo.

In front of the tall window façade that offers a beautiful view of the Vosges Mountains, three workstations are set up on the bright, epoxy-coated floor. Eight carefully selected and highly qualified employees assemble the Veyron piece by piece in this Spartan environment.

No more than one or two vehicles per week are produced in the Atelier, each one requiring almost three weeks of careful assembly. The mechanics create the Veyron’s lightweight chassis; the formidable body is assembled; the 1001 HP engine, four-wheel drive, and brake system provide the car’s basic functionality; the electronic control systems, convenience functions, and sound system disappear beneath the impeccable surface made of the finest leather and uniformly gleaming aluminium elements.

For the customer, it is a special treat and unforgettable experience to witness the creation of his very own Veyron here at Molsheim, the venerable birthplace of Bugatti.