2009 Bugatti Veyron Overview

The Bugatti Veyron is an impressive platform of top end automotive technology and – loyal to Bugatti’s heritage « nothing is too expensive, nothing is too beautiful » – only the best parts and materials in the trade are used in the production process. The tyres – the first production tyres in the industry homologated for speeds above 400 km/h – are a joint development with Michelin. The carbon fibre monocoque is built by ATR in Italy, the front- and rear- structure in forged aluminium by Heggemann in Germany and the bespoke carbon-ceramic brakes by AP Racing in Great Britain.

Production started at rate of 50 cars per annum, approximately one a week. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., however, is striving to achieve a higher number and plans to get closer to an annual output of a hundred in order to reduce the waiting period for customers. 1998 through 1999: four design studies in 15 months’ time In April 1998, the Volkswagen Group took over the Bugatti trademark, presenting the brand to the public for the first time at the International Motor Show in Paris with a study for a twodoor coupe it had commissioned Italdesign to create: the Bugatti EB 118. A few months later, in March 1999, at the Geneva Motor Show, a design of the EB 218, itself also created at Italdesign, caused a sensation with a four-door saloon using the same 18-cylinder, 6.3 litre engine with 555 hp.

The Bugatti EB 18/3 Chiron; once again Giugiaro was responsible for the design. And shortly thereafter, in Tokyo, the Bugatti EB 18/4 Veyron celebrated its world premiere, a model designed at the ‘Volkswagen Centre of Excellence Design’ under the directorship of Hartmut Warkuss. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 with the ultimate in performance features, the 1001 hp, 8- litre, 16-cylinder engine and its technological specifications – 1250 Nm at 2,200 rpm, peak speed of more than 400 km/h, four turbochargers and permanent four-wheel drive – features that have remained in place to this day, celebrated its debut at the IAA in Frankfurt in September of 2001.

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