| BUGATTI Veyron tested by the press: three cars out of five broken down. -
11-03-2005, 06:20 AM
The monthly magazine Sport-Car of November publishes a test of the "Bugatti" Veyron to which VW had invited many journalists - sumptuously treated guests: in first class to Milan, then out of private jet, then in helicopter. Here however some extracts of the article:
Two cars at the pithead
Something seems to oppose the staff of Bugatti. Obviously one of the cars is immobilized on the circuit since the day before, for unspecified technical reasons (...)
Restent four cars
Four technicians are agitated around another 16.4. A strapping fellow approaches with the step race and says to me in German, and anger, that I do not have anything to make here. A few minutes later, the pretty smile of attached press is done squeaking more. Obviously, a second car is at the pits, for technical reasons "the direction is light and the precision does not seem surgical", like that of Enzo for example. The contact with the road does not have anything to see, either with that of one Carrera CGT, and even less with that of Pagani Zonda. Sometimes at the wheel, the information feedbacks make think of Audi TT, size XXL.
Weight-power ratio
Bugatti asserts 1888 kg dry for which it is advisable to add 98 liters of gasoline, 40 liters of water for the engine, 15 liters for the exchangers and 15 other liters of oil, is, in best case 2030 kg. With 1001 kg, the report/ratio weight power remains always close to 2 kg/PS [note: the weight-power ratio of Enzo with 660ch for 1360 kg is 2:06 against 2:02 for Veyron if one sticks to the asserted weight - and that of Zonda F Clubsport is most powerful of all: 650 PS for 1250 kg is 1.92 kg/PS ]."
In "degraded mode"
"After a score of kilometers carried out at the peaceful rate/rhythm of the meeting photo... two suspect witnesses ignite in the dashboard. Aïe! The box wants nothing any more to know and the engine functions in degraded mode. One stop on the side while cutting the contact, then one starts again. Without miracle, Veyron hoquette? on the third report/ratio and will finish the course while boîtant?. The problem is announced to the Bugatti staff which hastens to return the car in a box. One then tries to include/understand from which the breakdown comes. The embarrassed engineer: "The computer of edge raised of the series of followed accelerations up to 200 km/h strong decelerations, which you should not have made... the car is not made for that". What to leave perplexed. "On five cars planned for the presentation, three are immobilized." One has not been able to prevent oneself from thinking of the whirring figures held up for six years, of the deferred times, the repurchase of a name and a castle, and with the billion invested in Germany for the development, without speaking about the phenomenal care which had to be taken to the reserved cars of test with press. It had formally been promised that the car would be delivered to the customers in October. That appears doubtful in the state of its development. Remainder, VW did not indicate yet to date if the car were approved.
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