A Super Machine Exceeding 1,000 PS

In 1998, Volkswagen acquired the Bugatti brand, and exactly one year later, the EB18/4 Veyron was unveiled as a study model at the Tokyo Motor Show. Six years after that, the Veyron 16.4 appeared, breaking the 400 km/h barrier, and its commercial sale finally began six months later.

The Veyron's defining characteristics are its overwhelming power and torque, the acceleration derived from them, and its top speed. Its 7,993cc W16 engine, equipped with four continuously variable camshafts and four turbochargers, ignites its 16 cylinders in the sequence 1-14-9-4-7-12-15-6-13-8-3-16-11-2-5-10, producing a maximum output of 736 kW (1,001 PS). The maximum torque is 1,250 Nm (127.5 kgm) across a wide range from 2,200 to 5,500 rpm.

Paired with this is a 7-speed DSG that shifts gears with lightning speed in 150 milliseconds (0.15 seconds). The full carbon fiber monocoque, adopted for the first time in a mass-produced vehicle, boasts an astonishing torsional rigidity of 60,000 Nm/degree while keeping the vehicle weight down to 1,888 kg. The result is a monstrous machine with 0-100 km/h acceleration in 2.5 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 7.3 seconds, 0-300 km/h in 16.7 seconds, and a top speed of 407 km/h.

The Open-Top "Grand Sport" Continues Production

However, with the top speed record having been broken, the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport was introduced in 2010, boasting a maximum output of 882 kW (1,200 PS) and 1,500 Nm (153 kgm) of torque, achieving a top speed of 415 km/h, thus preserving the Veyron's prestige.

Incidentally, this Super Sport holds the Guinness World Record for a top speed of 431.072 km/h, but it is electronically limited to 415 km/h to protect the tires.

While production of the coupe body is ending, the limited-edition production of 150 units of theopen-top Grand Sportwill continue. This model achieves a top speed of 360 km/h as the fastest open-top model in history.

Company President Wolfgang Dürheimer commented, "The Veyron is already a model that has secured its place in automotive history as an icon. Furthermore, it remains at the forefront of its era in terms of both technology and design. We will maintain the same standards for future Bugatti vehicles."