2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
Sound Barrier, Beware
If you want the abilities of a supersonic jet in an automobile, look to the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, one of the planet's most powerful and exclusive vehicles.
The Veyron was Volkswagen’s first order of business after taking over the Bugatti brand in 1998. It was meant to be the fastest, most powerful and most expensive car ever, thus restoring cachet to the Bugatti marque. It spent many years in development and was delayed several times while engineers worked on its high-speed stability.
The Veyron 16.4 takes its name from French racecar driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1939 in a Bugatti. The numeric part of its moniker refers to the car’s 8.0-liter W16 engine, in which 16 cylinders are arranged in four banks of four cylinders each.
If the W16 configuration is unfamiliar, think of it as two V8 engines joined together at the crankshaft. The four turbos help the engine generate an incredible 1,001 horsepower, which is enough to propel the car to 60 miles per hour in around 2.5 seconds. Stay on the gas and you can attain a top speed of 253 mph, although a second key is required to put the car into top-speed mode so you don’t accidentally quadruple the speed limit on a public road.
In addition to being the quickest vehicle out there, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is likely the least fuel-efficient one, with an EPA-estimated rating of 8 miles per gallon in the city and 14 mpg on the highway. Its consumption is so extreme that driving at top speed for a little over 12 minutes will completely drain its 26-gallon fuel tank.
A computer-controlled seven-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) transmission lets drivers shift gears as they see fit. This Audi-designed gearbox can be shifted manually via steering wheel-mounted shifter paddles, or it can be left in fully automatic mode. While there is no clutch pedal, two internal clutches work in tandem to maintain a continuous flow of thrust throughout the engine's power band.
The transmission channels power to all four wheels, which is necessary to keep the car’s four wheels affixed to the pavement while all that muscle is being applied.
At speeds over 137 mph, a hydraulic suspension lowers the Veyron, giving it a mere 3.5 inches of ground clearance. At the same time, a rear wing deploys to provide aerodynamic downforce and keep the car stable at those triple-digit speeds.
With the top-speed key engaged, a diagnostic checklist determines whether the car and its driver are ready for the impending onslaught of thrust. Once the mode is locked in, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers close and the vehicle’s ground clearance drops to 2.6 inches, all the better to cut through the wind.
The Bugatti Veyron’s suspension and run-flat tires (there is no room for a spare) are specifically designed to help maintain stability and control at speeds beyond most motorists’ comprehension. Likewise, the brakes are designed to cope with slowing a car that has more than four times the power of an average sedan.
At speeds over 124 mph, the rear spoiler functions as an air brake — once the wheel brakes are applied, it jumps into the wind in less than half a second and provides additional resistance. This feature helps the car come to a controlled stop from 252 mph in just 10 seconds.
Though it’s slightly wider and shorter, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4’s wheelbase and exterior dimensions are similar to those of a Chevrolet Corvette. But visually, that’s where the similarities end. Whereas the ’Vette is pointy and masculine, the Veyron has an elegantly rounded exterior that speaks more to its all-around athleticism than its brute strength.
The car’s interior befits a car costing well over $1 million. It is trimmed in sumptuous leather and polished aluminum, with styling cues that recall the cabins of classic Bugattis. A performance-oriented touch is the center-mounted tachometer, with a speedometer to the left and a horsepower meter to the right. This arrangement puts the focus on rpms, allowing the driver to shift appropriately.
The Veyron is opulently equipped and comes with all the features one would expect in a top-of-the-line luxury sedan. The car even comes with its own personal digital assistant that works with the navigation system and can download information related to the vehicle’s internal diagnostics.
Is the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 for You?
| Buy the Veyron 16.4 if | You are one of the world’s wealthiest auto enthusiasts and have the confidence to handle one of the world’s most powerful cars. |
| Keep Looking if | You’re neither of the above; you care about price or fuel economy; you like to drive without being ogled. |
| Who Fits? | The Veyron 16.4 seats two adults in opulence; as with most low-slung vehicles, getting in and out can be a chore. |
| Closest Competitors | |
| Did You Know? | One of the most storied names in automotive history, the Bugatti nameplate was affixed to some of the world’s greatest and grandest sports cars during motoring’s Golden Age. The original French company was never able to rise from the ashes of World War II, however. The name has been resurrected twice in recent decades, most recently by Volkswagen, who purchased the rights to build vehicles under the Bugatti name in 1998. VW founded Bugatti Automobiles SAS in 2000 and debuted a concept vehicle on the international auto show circuit that year, the EB 16/4 Veyron. Nearly five years in development, the production version, now called the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, was unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. |
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