German Car Zone

Bartek Sikorski · 11-10-2008, 09:08 PM

Mind-blowing: Sophisticated aerodynamics ensure the car doesn't actually take off. Powerful brakes make it stop even faster than it accelerates

Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Price: about £1 million

THE GOOD

I travelled to Bugatti's headquarters and factory in Molsheim in Alsace, France, for a taste of unrivalled engineering in this ultimate two-seater sports car.
This is the fastest production car of all time. It is, simply, the height of automotive technology.
In motion it sounds like a jet aircraft. Sophisticated aerodynamics ensure the car doesn't actually take off.
Mind-blowing statistics — the top speed of this two-tonne car is 253mph. It accelerates from rest to 62mph in 2.5 sec, up to 125mph in 7.3 sec and 180mph in 16.7 sec. It covers a quarter-mile in 9.8sec.
It uses the same launch control technology as Formula 1 cars, with 50 per cent more power than a Ferrari Enzo and twice the pulling power.
The powerful carbon, ceramic and titanium brakes make it stop even faster than it accelerates — slowing from 62mph to rest in just 2.3 sec.
The awesome W16 cylinder engine with eight-litre capacity and 3,700 parts has 1,001 hp — more than ten Ford Fiestas.
The seven-speed manual and automatic gearbox alone costs more than a Porsche 911. In automatic mode you can tootle happily around town. And then you can switch to manual for some real fun.
Only 300 of these are to be built — of which 250 have been sold and 185 delivered.
Five special-edition 'Pur Sang' versions have already sold out.
You will get attention, especially from females. To paraphrase comedian Mrs Merton: ' What was it that first attracted you to the billionaire Bugatti driver?'
My co-driver — former F1 and Le Mans racing driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel — felt comfortable enough with my driving to suggest I take an unscheduled twisty mountain road route. Wow. Fantastic handling.
It's hand-built in a small boutique factory in Molsheim — in the grounds of Bugatti's original chateau. Quality control is high — only three or four in 50 windscreens pass muster to be used in the car.
Seeing the car being built and stripped bare, you realise the engineering is more Nasa than Nissan. The vast engine and complex cooling piping is certainly rocket technology.
The new open-topped version, the Veyron Grand Sport, will do 253mph with the hood in place, and 217mph with the top down.

THE BAD

You will need to be among the mega-rich to buy one.
It's a snug fit for the broader of beam, making the seatbelt difficult to slot in. But Bugatti do have the option of wider seats to overcome this.
Beware in heavy rain. The slick tyres mean at high speeds your car could aquaplane.
The position of the side mirrors and the thick front windscreen pillars have shown up a blind spot. Bugatti are aware of this and are moving the mirrors.
There's space in the front boot for a toothbrush and credit card — not much else.
Abysmal fuel economy of around ten miles to the gallon and CO2 emissions averaging a mammoth 574g/km — more than five Toyota Priuses. Around town that increases to 960g/km.

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German Car Zone

Mini test: The Bugatti Veyron is £1million worth of muscle