By RICHARD FEAST
Published: December 25, 2005

MOLSHEIM, France -- MANY people thought that Volkswagen lost touch with its customer base in 2003 when it introduced the Phaeton, a luxury sedan perfectly wonderful in almost every way save for a price tag that veered uncomfortably close to six figures.

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Over the Top? Let's Count the Ways
Published: December 25, 2005

NOT only is the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 the quickest, fastest and most expensive production car ever, it comes with a long list of standard superlatives, including these: HOW MUCH? For the $1.2 million price of a single Veyron, one could buy a Maybach, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Lamborghini Murciélago with enough left over for a Corvette for every day of the week. Or a Toyota Prius every week for more than a year. A $356,000 deposit is required with your order. IS THAT TAXABLE? For a New York City buyer (someone, say, who is crazy rich), sales tax alone would be about $100,000. The projected gas guzzler tax is $7,700.

HOW POWERFUL? The Veyron's 1,001 horsepower is hundreds more than that of any other car in production. Its 922 pound-feet of torque is nearly twice that of the McLaren F1, which until now was considered the ultimate street car.

HOW FAST IS FAST? As quick off the line as a Formula One racecar, the Veyron reaches 60 m.p.h. in 2.5 seconds. It can hit 250 m.p.h. in less than a minute - then brake to a complete stop in less than 10 seconds.

IS THAT ALL? It is unclear how fast the Bugatti could actually go. Top speed is electronically limited to 253 m.p.h. because of risks to the tires.

HOW'S THE MILEAGE? Preliminary E.P.A. fuel economy estimates are 9 miles a gallon in the city and 18 on the highway. At full throttle, it would gulp down the entire 26-gallon tank in about 12 minutes.

WHAT DOES THE NAME MEAN? Pierre Veyron, a race driver for Bugatti, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1939.

EXCESSES: The car has 10 radiators, a horsepower gauge and a titanium exhaust system. Its audio system costs about $30,000.

WILL THE JONESES HAVE ONE? Unlikely, with annual sales of just 50 worldwide. Ferraris (4,900 sold last year) are common by comparison.

WHO'S GETTING RICH OFF THIS? Bugatti's beleaguered parent, Volkswagen, could use the money. Yet even with its high price, the Veyron is not expected ever to recoup VW's investment.



Whoa, a 26 gallon tank in 12 minutes. That's crazy

I strongly dislike this car and whoever wrote this article. The writer thinks that this car is now the utlimate street car (based on what?) and draws comparison to the McLaren F1. The McLaren F1 was not a car designed soley for top speed. It's practicle, damn fast around a circuit and doesn't need 1,001hp or 992 pound-feet of torque. Basically, the Veyron outshines everything in terms of HP, torque and straightline performanace, but we all know that those are not the sole, or even the most important, criteria in judging a sports car. The person who wrote this article should be shot. Sorry for the rant but I'm tired of people just looking at HP, 0-60 and top speed to determine a car's worth. The Veyron is a hugley heavy tank and no amount of horsepower or torque is going to get over that fact. I'm betting it's tap times are extremely disappointing. Now I'll take a Lotus Exige and the leftover $1,150,000 please.

If you cant tell me 0-60 times and hp and torque figures I dont want to hear it. THats all that matters!! :P

You make valid points in your post Porsche Guy, and I totally agree with you about the obsession with HP - but I can't say that I "strongly dislike this car", I simply can't deny that I find it very attractive - even though I know many of you don't like it's looks at all.

On top of what he said... the first time I found out that this car has a $30,000. Why?
To me, this car is similiar to what the SLR is. It's just a confused car designed by confused engineers. I know people will send the dogs at me, but I honestly think that if you are going to try to prove something, then you gotta do it the right way. There's no need for all that luxury stuff in the car. You either make it a real sports car (McLaren F1) or you make it into a GT (Bently GT). If you try to mix both, all you'll get are Beckhams and Paris Hiltons on your waiting list.

Have the top speed, acceleration figures been independently verified? Even if it's faster than the venerable F1, I'd still prefer the Mclaren. It's a race car and won Le Mans in its first go. I can't see this 4,000 lb. tub of a car winning any races.

LOL - that is insulting



The absolute preposterous audacity of the Veyron, is probably the only characteristic this vehicle has in common with the great cars built at Molsheim in the 1920's and 30's. Ettore Bugatti was a visionary more than an industrial entrepreneur. He was a highly-cultured perfectionist with extraordinarily high standards - he once refused to sell a car to King Zog of Albania, claiming that "the man's table manners are beyond belief!". His cars were absurdly impractical, proudly ostentatious, and obscenely expensive. Bugattis were always just about the most expensive cars you could buy - the most famous examples being the Bugatti Royale limousines that nearly bankrupted the company. They were built for royalty, unfortunately no royal bought one. Only six were built, each with a different body style.


Look at the the size of those wheels!


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What's wrong with that? This car was not meant to be the ultimate sportscar or track car or the ultimate in luxury, it was meant to be a good combination of the two in the theme of the old Bugattis that were outrageously expensive and extravagant. The car is not meant to compete with the McLaren F1 or other real super sports cars, even though the Bugatti probably handles extremely well given the physics of its weight and setup.
What's wrong with getting the Beckhams and Hiltons on your waiting list? This is basically who these cars are catered to, whether they are celebrities or not.

i've never been a fan of this car and i've always qualified it as something monstrous
but now that it's out , it's a whole new animal
maybe as a car, an elise costing a fraction of the price would be better
but as a student of the engineering disciplines, i cannot but appreciate the sheer design of this thing
the damn germans took every sinle technology we have and streteched it till beaking point
there are many things done by this car that bend ever single law we know of
as a design project it is something unparalleled
ands for this it is currently oneof my favourite cars
no one pushes the boundaries like it

im a bugatti ..