Tag Archives: Veyron

Legend Jean Pierre Wimille – Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is a convertible fitted with the 1200hp W16 first seen in the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Coupé.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Legend Jean Pierre Wimille, Quail Concours d'Elegance

The open top will reach 62 mph from rest in 2.6 seconds and is normally restricted to a top speed of 233 mph, though racing driver Anthony Liu was timed at a smidgeon over 254 mph to make the model the fastest convertible in the world in April 2013.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Legend Jean Pierre Wimille, Quail Concours d'Elegance

Today’s Legend Jean Pierre Wimille limited edition is one of three built in honour of twice Le Mans winner Jean Pierre Wimille.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Legend Jean Pierre Wimille, Quail Concours d'EleganceBugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse Legend Jean Pierre Wimille, Quail Concours d'Elegance

The Wimille Limited Edition features appear to be solely cosmetic with Clear Blue Carbon Fibre Wings / Fenderes and Wimille Blue body work apparently reversing the colour scheme of the 1937 Le Mans winning Bugatti Type 57G.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton who took these photographs at last years Quail Concours d’Elegance. This will be the last of the current series of Tuesday Bugatti blogs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Legend Jean Pierre Wimille” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be listening to the sound of an experimental quad cam Jaguar V12 being started for the first time 40 years. Don’t forget to come back now !

World Record Edition – Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE

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It is a fact of life that no sooner someone deems anything man made and new to be the ultimate expression of … and … never to be surpassed, it is only a matter of time before someone will meet the challenge and contradict the statement.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

When the 1001hp Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 was launched I remember at least one BBC presenter falling into just such a trap and today’s featured car a Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition is the proof that it was a trap.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

The Super Sport features aero and engine upgrades that raise the power out put to 1200hp and 1500 lbs / ft torque.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

Pierre Henri Raphanel, Bugatti’s official test driver was officially credited with an average top speed 267.856 mph when driving a Super Sport at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test facility.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

Super Sports are usually electronically restricted to a 258 mph top speed allegedly to stop the tyres from disintegrating.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

The Super Sport will reach 60 mph from rest in 2.4 seconds and cover the 1.4 mile in 9.6 seconds.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

It is said Super Sport production was to be limited to 30 units, I am not sure if this includes a number of further one off’s and sub special editions.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Super Sport WRE, Goodwood Festval of Speed

The tangerine and black, reminiscent of a BRM colour scheme in my humble opinion, Bugatti Veyron, EB 16.4 World Record Edition seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of just 5 WRE units.

Thanks for joining me on this “World Record Edition” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be returning to some of the highlights of the Castle Combe Classic meeting earlier in the month. Don’t forget to come back now !

Two Tone Material Edition – Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Pur Sang

The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Pur Sang is a limited edition Veyron EB 16.4 first seen in 2005. Mechanically the Pur Sang is identical to the 1001hp standard model.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Pur Sang, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

All the external features differ in that they are only covered with a clear lacquer thus exposing the carbon fibre front boot / trunk lid roof and rear bonnet / hood and the highly polished aluminium panels of the wings / fenders and doors.

Seen above, at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2009, is one of just five examples of the Pur Sang that were built starting in 2007.

Thanks for joining me on this “Two Tone Material Edition” of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

1001 Street Legal Horses – Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4

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After the collapse of Bugatti Autombiles SpA the Volkswagen Group purchased the Bugatti trademark rights and set about reviving the brand.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Bugatti presented 3 Guigiario styled concept vehicles known as EB118 models with 18 cylinder W motors before presenting the Veyron EB 18.4 Concept model in 1999 which also had an 18 cylinder W motor.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Working under Volkswagen’s Chief Engineer Wolfgang Schreiber designer Hartmut Warkuss and exterior designer Jozef Kabaň finalised the Veyron’s design with a quad turbo 16 cylinder W motor.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Production of the Veyron EB 16.4 commenced in a new purpose built facility located in Bugatti’s spiritual home Molsheim, France in 2005.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The 64 valve quad cam, quad turbocharged 8 litre / 488 cui W16, essentially two VR8 blocks bolted together, produces 1001 hp, good enough to power the Veyron EB 16.4 up to 62.5 mph from rest in a fraction under 2.5 seconds and on to a restricted top speed of 213 mph or unrestricted top speed in excess of 250 mph.

Bugatti EB 16.4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Last year reports emerged that a brokerage firm had “estimated” that each Veyron 16.4, which costs between 1.5 to 2 million US$ was loosing the Volkswagen Group in excess of 4 million US$.

Bugatti’s only comment was that the estimates were incorrect, but with only 40 units thought to have been built up to October 2013 it will be a long time before the Research and Development costs of the technical tour de force that is the Veyron EB 16.4 will, if ever, be recouped.

Thanks for joining me on this “1001 Street Legal Horses” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be returning to the Autumn Classic meeting at Castle Combe. Don’t fprget to come back now !