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19-09-2005, 04:14 PM
Bugatti Veyron: 407kmh
Koenigsegg CCR: 388kmh
McLaren F1: 386kmh
Ferrari Enzo: 350kmh
Mercedes McLaren SLR: 334kmh
Porsche Carrera GT: 330kmh
A commercial jet at lift-off: 250kmh
Bugatti Veyron topples world's faster car record, Previously held by the Koenigsegg
The 736kW 8.0-litre W16-powered two-seater answered its critics by smashing the world top speed record with a blistering 407km/h – instantly establishing a milestone in the evolution of the automobile.
The benchmark figure, recorded in a two way run – as demanded by the Guinness Book of Records – at parent company Volkswagen's Ehra Lessien test track in Germany, betters the 388km/h of the Koenigsegg CCR established at the Nardo track in Italy in February.
It also pulverises the top speed claims for any car presently in production, including the Ferrari Enzo at 350km/h, Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR at 334km/h and the Porsche Carrera GT at 330km/h.
Confirmation of the all-wheel drive Veyron's top speed was timed to coincide with the unveiling of the definitive production version of the $US1 million supercar, which finally made its debut at Bugatti's headquarters in Molsheim, France last weekend, more than a year behind schedule and, in the words of one high ranking Volkswagen insider, "tens of millions of euros over budget".
The delayed arrival comes after a series of highly publicised development hitches, costly modifications to the car's aerodynamic and mechanical packages and top level management changes that have marred the car's five-year gestation. The problematic past had cast serious doubt over the Veyron ever seeing production.
In the end, however, a revitalised Bugatti has beaten the odds, delivering a car that more than lives up to the spectacular claims heaped upon it during an announcement back in 2000.
Together with the phenomenal top speed claim, Bugatti president, Thomas Bscher, has also made public a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 2.5 seconds – some 0.4sec better than earlier estimates.
The brainchild of former Volkswagen chairman, Ferdinand Piech, the amazing new Veyron is the first stage in what is described as a rebuilding of the Bugatti brand following the purchase to the rights of the famed name by Volkswagen back in 1998.
"It is just the beginning", former investment banker and Le Mans racer Bscher told Drive at the car's unveiling, hinting at the possibility of a second Bugatti model by the end of the decade.
"We have spent a lot of money developing the engine, so the logical step is for an additional model using the same mechanical package," he said.
Powering the Veyron is a highly complex quad turbocharged, eight camshaft, 64-valve, 7993cc, W16 engine mounted in a classic midship layout behind the cabin on a aluminium and carbon fibre subframe. It's basically two twin-turbocharged V8s mated together in VW's unique W configuration.
As boldly promised by Piech at the announcement of the car at a press conference in Geneva back in 2000, the Veyron is not only the fastest road car in the world, but the most powerful, too.
It can reach 200km/h in 7.3 seconds – the same time it takes a regular performance car to reach 100km/h. And yet, according to Bscher, it's easier to drive than the McLaren: "your wife would have no problem going to the shops in it. It really is an easy car to drive".
It seems the Veyron may go past anything except a petrol station. The claimed fuel consumption on a mix of freeway and city driving is a staggering 24.1 litres per 100km – and 40.4 around town, which is four times the thirst of the average car.
The Veyron is assembled at Bugatti's showcase production hall on the grounds of Chateau St Jean near Molsheim in France. Each car goes through a four-week build process before being put though a 300km stress test at the hands of Bugatti engineers.
Bscher claims to be holding 16 paid up orders at present, including one from long time Bugatti collector and US fashion czar Ralph Lauren.
A further 25 prospective buyers are said to have paid a 300,000 euro deposit. Plans are for a total of 300 Veryons over a six-year model cycle, although despite the euphoria surrounding is performance recent supercar, history suggests this may be an optimistic figure. The McLaren F1, the only road car to come close to matching the new Bugatti's phenomenal performance claims, was discontinued after a production run totalling less than 100 cars.
Among the many modifications made to the Veyron's engine since the appointment of Bscher to head Bugatti in 2003 is the adoption of new variable vane turbochargers. Replacing the original Garret units are a quartet of blowers from little known German firm, MPE.
Engineers have also provided the Veyron with no less than five different radiators – three up front in the nose and two each side of the engine at the rear – in a bid to solve overheating problems that severely plagued its early development and partly led to its delayed introduction.
The engine's mammoth reserves are channelled permanently to a Haldex multi-plate clutch and all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG (double shift gearbox) that's positioned ahead of the engine in a bid to provide the best possible weight distribution. Developed and built by British transmission specialist Ricardo, the magnesium-housed unit is claimed to provide shift times of just 150 milliseconds and can be operated manually or left in automatic mode. All up, the engine and gearbox weight 650kg – more than a third of the Veyron's 1888kg kerb weight.
The Veyron can be driven in one of three different configurations – standard, handling and top speed. The latter, manually selectable with a separate key, sees ground clearance reduced to 60mm at the front and 70mm at the rear. The rear spoiler is also deployed and automatically set at a two degree angle and the front diffuser flaps close to negate a build up of air pressure within the underbody. In this guise, the new car boasts a Cd value of 0.36 – down from 0.39 in standard trim.
Along with the 0-100km/h claim of 2.5sec, Bscher told Drive the Veyron will hit 200km/h in 7.3sec and 300km/h in a barely conceivable 16.7sec – the latter a staggering 9.4sec faster than the near-$2-million Ferrari Enzo.
At its 407km/h top speed, the new Bugatti is said to generate an enormous 350kg of downforce – 150kg acting on the front axle and a further 200kg at the rear.
Specifications – Bugatti EB16.4 Veyron
Price: €1 million plus taxes
On sale: Now
Top speed: 407km/h
0-100km/h: 2.5 seconds
Fuel consumption: 40.4L/100km (city), 14.7L/100km (freeway), 24.1L/100km (combined)
Engine: 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder in W-format
Power: 736kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 1250Nm at 2200rpm
Installation: Mid-mounted, longitudinal
Transmission: 7-speed DSG, four-wheel-drive
Steering: Speed-sensitive rack and pinion with hydraulic assistance
Suspension: Double wishbones (front and rear)
Brakes: Ventilated and cross drilled carbon ceramic discs, 400mm (front), 380mm (rear)
Wheels: 20-inch alloys (front), 21-inch alloys (rear)
Tyres: Michelin Pilot Sport PAX, 265/680 (front), 365/710 (rear)
Length: 4465mm
Width: 2000mm
Height: 1205mm
Wheelbase: 2710mm
Front track 1725mm
Rear track 1630mm
Performance
0-100km/h 2.5sec
0-200km/h 7.3sec
0-300km/h 16.7sec
Koenigsegg CCR: 388kmh
McLaren F1: 386kmh
Ferrari Enzo: 350kmh
Mercedes McLaren SLR: 334kmh
Porsche Carrera GT: 330kmh
A commercial jet at lift-off: 250kmh
Bugatti Veyron topples world's faster car record, Previously held by the Koenigsegg
The 736kW 8.0-litre W16-powered two-seater answered its critics by smashing the world top speed record with a blistering 407km/h – instantly establishing a milestone in the evolution of the automobile.
The benchmark figure, recorded in a two way run – as demanded by the Guinness Book of Records – at parent company Volkswagen's Ehra Lessien test track in Germany, betters the 388km/h of the Koenigsegg CCR established at the Nardo track in Italy in February.
It also pulverises the top speed claims for any car presently in production, including the Ferrari Enzo at 350km/h, Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR at 334km/h and the Porsche Carrera GT at 330km/h.
Confirmation of the all-wheel drive Veyron's top speed was timed to coincide with the unveiling of the definitive production version of the $US1 million supercar, which finally made its debut at Bugatti's headquarters in Molsheim, France last weekend, more than a year behind schedule and, in the words of one high ranking Volkswagen insider, "tens of millions of euros over budget".
The delayed arrival comes after a series of highly publicised development hitches, costly modifications to the car's aerodynamic and mechanical packages and top level management changes that have marred the car's five-year gestation. The problematic past had cast serious doubt over the Veyron ever seeing production.
In the end, however, a revitalised Bugatti has beaten the odds, delivering a car that more than lives up to the spectacular claims heaped upon it during an announcement back in 2000.
Together with the phenomenal top speed claim, Bugatti president, Thomas Bscher, has also made public a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 2.5 seconds – some 0.4sec better than earlier estimates.
The brainchild of former Volkswagen chairman, Ferdinand Piech, the amazing new Veyron is the first stage in what is described as a rebuilding of the Bugatti brand following the purchase to the rights of the famed name by Volkswagen back in 1998.
"It is just the beginning", former investment banker and Le Mans racer Bscher told Drive at the car's unveiling, hinting at the possibility of a second Bugatti model by the end of the decade.
"We have spent a lot of money developing the engine, so the logical step is for an additional model using the same mechanical package," he said.
Powering the Veyron is a highly complex quad turbocharged, eight camshaft, 64-valve, 7993cc, W16 engine mounted in a classic midship layout behind the cabin on a aluminium and carbon fibre subframe. It's basically two twin-turbocharged V8s mated together in VW's unique W configuration.
As boldly promised by Piech at the announcement of the car at a press conference in Geneva back in 2000, the Veyron is not only the fastest road car in the world, but the most powerful, too.
It can reach 200km/h in 7.3 seconds – the same time it takes a regular performance car to reach 100km/h. And yet, according to Bscher, it's easier to drive than the McLaren: "your wife would have no problem going to the shops in it. It really is an easy car to drive".
It seems the Veyron may go past anything except a petrol station. The claimed fuel consumption on a mix of freeway and city driving is a staggering 24.1 litres per 100km – and 40.4 around town, which is four times the thirst of the average car.
The Veyron is assembled at Bugatti's showcase production hall on the grounds of Chateau St Jean near Molsheim in France. Each car goes through a four-week build process before being put though a 300km stress test at the hands of Bugatti engineers.
Bscher claims to be holding 16 paid up orders at present, including one from long time Bugatti collector and US fashion czar Ralph Lauren.
A further 25 prospective buyers are said to have paid a 300,000 euro deposit. Plans are for a total of 300 Veryons over a six-year model cycle, although despite the euphoria surrounding is performance recent supercar, history suggests this may be an optimistic figure. The McLaren F1, the only road car to come close to matching the new Bugatti's phenomenal performance claims, was discontinued after a production run totalling less than 100 cars.
Among the many modifications made to the Veyron's engine since the appointment of Bscher to head Bugatti in 2003 is the adoption of new variable vane turbochargers. Replacing the original Garret units are a quartet of blowers from little known German firm, MPE.
Engineers have also provided the Veyron with no less than five different radiators – three up front in the nose and two each side of the engine at the rear – in a bid to solve overheating problems that severely plagued its early development and partly led to its delayed introduction.
The engine's mammoth reserves are channelled permanently to a Haldex multi-plate clutch and all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG (double shift gearbox) that's positioned ahead of the engine in a bid to provide the best possible weight distribution. Developed and built by British transmission specialist Ricardo, the magnesium-housed unit is claimed to provide shift times of just 150 milliseconds and can be operated manually or left in automatic mode. All up, the engine and gearbox weight 650kg – more than a third of the Veyron's 1888kg kerb weight.
The Veyron can be driven in one of three different configurations – standard, handling and top speed. The latter, manually selectable with a separate key, sees ground clearance reduced to 60mm at the front and 70mm at the rear. The rear spoiler is also deployed and automatically set at a two degree angle and the front diffuser flaps close to negate a build up of air pressure within the underbody. In this guise, the new car boasts a Cd value of 0.36 – down from 0.39 in standard trim.
Along with the 0-100km/h claim of 2.5sec, Bscher told Drive the Veyron will hit 200km/h in 7.3sec and 300km/h in a barely conceivable 16.7sec – the latter a staggering 9.4sec faster than the near-$2-million Ferrari Enzo.
At its 407km/h top speed, the new Bugatti is said to generate an enormous 350kg of downforce – 150kg acting on the front axle and a further 200kg at the rear.
Specifications – Bugatti EB16.4 Veyron
Price: €1 million plus taxes
On sale: Now
Top speed: 407km/h
0-100km/h: 2.5 seconds
Fuel consumption: 40.4L/100km (city), 14.7L/100km (freeway), 24.1L/100km (combined)
Engine: 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder in W-format
Power: 736kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 1250Nm at 2200rpm
Installation: Mid-mounted, longitudinal
Transmission: 7-speed DSG, four-wheel-drive
Steering: Speed-sensitive rack and pinion with hydraulic assistance
Suspension: Double wishbones (front and rear)
Brakes: Ventilated and cross drilled carbon ceramic discs, 400mm (front), 380mm (rear)
Wheels: 20-inch alloys (front), 21-inch alloys (rear)
Tyres: Michelin Pilot Sport PAX, 265/680 (front), 365/710 (rear)
Length: 4465mm
Width: 2000mm
Height: 1205mm
Wheelbase: 2710mm
Front track 1725mm
Rear track 1630mm
Performance
0-100km/h 2.5sec
0-200km/h 7.3sec
0-300km/h 16.7sec