The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is currently the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407.5 km/h or 253.2 mph).[1] It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS in its Molsheim (Alsace, France) factory and is sold under the legendary French Bugatti marque. It is named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. It is also the world's second supercar with 16 cylinders, after the Cizeta Moroder V16T.
Specifications
the W16 engine
The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves, for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers, and it displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 in³) with a square 86 by 86 mm bore and stroke.
Putting this power to the ground is a dual-clutch DSG computer-controlled manual transmission with 7 gear ratios via shifter paddles behind the steering wheel boasting an 8 ms shift time. The Veyron can be driven by full automatic transmission. The Veyron also features full-time all-wheel drive developed by UK based Ricardo helping to transfer power to the road. It uses special Michelin run-flat tires designed specifically for the Veyron to accommodate the vehicle's top speed.
The car's wheelbase is 2710 mm (106.3 in). Overall length is 4462 mm (175.8 in). It measures 1998 mm (78.7 in) wide and 1206 mm (47.5 in) tall.
Kerb weight is estimated at 4,160 lb (1890 kg). This gives the car a power to weight ratio of 529 bhp/tonne.
The Bugatti Veyron has a total of 10 radiators.
3 radiators for the engine cooling system.
1 heat exchanger for the air to liquid intercoolers.
2 for the air conditioning system.
1 transmission oil radiator.
1 differential oil radiator.
1 engine oil radiator.
1 hydraulic oil radiator for the spoiler.
Performance
The key
According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets. This makes it the most powerful production road-car engine in history. Peak torque is 1250 N·m (922 ft·lbf).
Top speed was initially promised to be 252 mph (406 km/h), but test versions were unstable at that speed, forcing a redesign of the aerodynamics. In May 2005, a prototype Veyron tested at a Volkswagen track near Wolfsburg, Germany, and recorded an electronically limited top speed of 400 km/h (249 mph). In October, 2005, Car and Driver magazine's editor Csaba Csere test drove the final production version of the Veyron for the November 2005 issue. This test, at Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track, reached a top speed of 253.2 mph (407.5 km/h). The top speed was verified once again by James May on Top Gear, again at Volkswagen's private test track. When getting close to the top speed during the test he said that "the tires will only last for about fifty minutes, but it's okay because the fuel runs out in twelve." He also gave an indication of the power requirements, at 155mph the Veyron was using approximately 270BHP, but to get to its rated 253mph top speed required far more from the engine, due to non-linear increases in drag at high speeds.
The Veyron is the quickest production car to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) with an estimated time of 2.5 seconds. It reaches 60mph in approximately 2.46 seconds. It also reaches 200 and 300 km/h (124 and 186 mph) in 7.3 and 16.7 seconds respectively. This makes the Veyron the quickest accelerating production car in history. It also consumes more fuel than any other production car, using 40.4 L/100 km (5.82 mpg) in city driving and 24.1 L/100 km (10 mpg) in combined cycle. At full throttle, it uses more than 125 L/100 km (2.1 mpg), which would empty its 100 L fuel tank in just 12.5 minutes. The car's everyday top speed is listed at 234 mph (377 km/h). When the car reaches 137 mph (220 km/h), hydraulics lower the car until it has a ground clearance of about 3 1/2 inches (8.9 cm). At the same time, the wing and spoiler deploy. This is the "handling" mode, in which the wing helps provide 770 pounds (3425 newtons) of downforce, holding the car to the road. The driver must, using a special key (the "Top Speed Key"), toggle the lock to the left of his seat in order to use the maximum speed of 253.2 miles per hour (407.5 km/h). Theoretically it can go faster but it is electronically limited to 253.2 miles per hour (407.5 km/h) to prevent tire damage. The key functions only when the vehicle is at a stop when a checklist then establishes whether the car—and its driver—are ready to enable 'top speed' mode. If all systems are go, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers close and the ground clearance, normally 4.9 inches (12.4 cm), drops to 2.6 inches (6.6 cm).
The Veyron's brakes utilize unique cross-drilled and turbine-vented carbon rotors, which draw in cooling air to reduce fade. Each caliper has eight titanium pistons. Bugatti claims maximum deceleration of 1.3 g on road tires. Prototypes have been subjected to repeated 1.0 g braking from 194 to 50 mph (312 to 80 km/h) without fade. With the car's fearsome acceleration from 50 to 194 mph (80 to 312 km/h), that test can be performed every 22 seconds. At speeds above 124 mph (200 km/h), the rear wing also acts as an airbrake, snapping to a 70-degree angle in 0.4 seconds once brakes are applied, providing 0.5 g (4.9 m/s²) of deceleration. Bugatti claims the Veyron will brake from 252 mph (406 km/h) to a standstill in less than 10 seconds. The braking is also so evenly applied that the car will not deviate from a straight path if the driver lets go of the steering wheel, even with the brakes fully applied starting from close to top speed.
Official unveiling
The production Veyron was shown for the first time on October 19, 2005 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The official United States launch for the production version occurred at the 2006 Los Angeles International Auto Show in January. Visual differences between the prototype and production Veyrons are slight, but noticeable marks include the addition of marker lights or reflectors on the front fenders and a more pronounced "dorsal spine" on the hood (reminiscent of the Bugatti Atlantic), especially near the windshield.
Six Veyrons were sold at the 2005 Dubai Motor Show in December, reportedly including the demonstration models used on the stands there. These would be the first reported private sales of the car. Reports also indicate that deposits have been taken on 45 Veyrons as of December.
Final numbers
Vehicle type: mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base Price: € 1,127,210 (£757 359, $1,440,800)
Engine type: quad-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 64-valve W-16, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 7993 cm³ (488.8 in³)
Performance ratings :
Zero to 60 mph (97 km/h): 2.5 s
Zero to 100 mph (161 km/h): 5.4 s
Zero to 150 mph (241 km/h): 9.3 s
Zero to 200 mph (322 km/h): 20.2 s
Zero to 250 mph (402 km/h): 55 s
Zero to 100 km/h: 2.5 s
Zero to 200 km/h: 7.3 s
Zero to 300 km/h: 16.7 s
Zero to 400 km/h: 55 s
