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2006 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron

Bugatti 16/4 Veyron

2006 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron

September 3rd 2005, Monterey, California – After years of applause, celebration, doubt, then ridicule, the first production Bugatti Veyron has hit the road as the fastest available supercar. Bugatti has little to be embarrassed about since the 16/4 is very similar to the extreme proposals made in 1999.

The whole Veyron project was first launched in 1999 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Bugatti displayed a concept car called the EB 18/4 Veyron which outlined the basic shape for future versions. Unlike the production version, this featured a more radical W18 engine with three banks of six cylinders. In 2000, Ferdinand Piëch announced the Veyron would go into production at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show. At that show the Veyron had a W16 engine borrowed from the 1999 Bentley Hunaudieres. It was also described as the most expensive, most powerful and fastest production supercar.

These claims instantly set-up alarm bells, and much of press hastily criticized the project. Even before reaching production, Gordon Murray and Jeremy Clarkson unfairly criticized the design and both later retracted their comments in writing after actually driving the car.

Long Road to Production

The first pre-production prototypes were launched at a great show called tArt de Bugatti in 2003 at Monaco. There, Bugatti assembled an impressive display of classic models to celebrate the new Veyron. Unknown to the media and prospective buyers, trouble with cooling and tires delayed the car much beyond Bugatti’s initial deadlines. It would take over two more years before a definitive specification would be reached.

When Bernd Pischetsrieder became the chairman of VW, he was obviously unhappy with the progress at Bugatti. Being an engineer himself, Bernd wanted major revisions with the program before the car would go on sale. He placed Thomas Bscher as Bugatti’s president in December 2003 and had chief engineer Wolfgang Schreiber alter development of the program. For the next two years, Schreiber worked on issues of cooling, aerodynamics and tires.

By 2005, several of the pre-production prototypes were regularly spotted around Molshiem. In May of that year, the factory’s claim of 250 mph turned from an enthusiastic vision into reality. A pre-production car achieved a two-way average speed of 252.95mph at parent company Volkswagen’s Ehra Lessien test track in Germany. Thus the Veyron prevailed over the Koenigsegg CCR’s record of 240.8 mph set earlier in the year.

This exceptional speed was possible due to the car’s adjustable spoiler, diffuser, and regulated ground clearance. In high-speed mode, the dampers can lower the car from 125mm to 65mm of ground clearance. This allows it to safely reach a speed of 250 mph. The feat has been repeated twice by both Car and Driver and Top Gear.

The production Veyron was first publicly displayed at the respectable 2006 Pebble Beach Concours on August 21st. After appearing at select private events, the first two production Veyrons preeminently adorned Pebble’s concept car display in front of the Lodge. Earlier in the week, the first grey and blue Veyron – driven by Bugatti head Thomas Bscher – arrived late at the Monterey Jet Center Party and the Quail Motorsports Gathering. Wherever the Veyron was seen, crowd and media response was enthusiastic, allowing the car to steal the spotlight from the exclusive, no-cameras-allowed Ferrari FXX debut. This was followed up by an official European launch on September 3 at the Molsheim factory.

Bugatti officially opened what it called Atelier on September 3rd 2005. This is now the new plant dedicated to production of the Veyron in Molshiem, France. In 1910, Ettore Bugatti also produced his first car and later built some of the most successful race cars in the country at this location.

Engineering

Within the Veyron, several propulsion systems synchronize in a tight space. Under the skin, a quad-turbo, sixteen cylinder engine delivers power to all four wheels through a seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox. The most challenging aspect is to ensure proper aerodynamics and cooling of these systems. These two obstacles that have delayed production for nearly three years.

The engine has four banks of four cylinders, but is more similar to two narrow-angle V8 engines that share a common crank. To produce upwards up 1000 bhp, four small turbochargers are fitted. To cool this entire unit ten radiators are used are used in car-three for the engine coolant, two for the interior air conditioning and one each for the engine oil, transmission oil, differential oil, hydraulic oil and the air-to-liquid intercooler.

Power is sent from the engine to a central direct-shift transmission. This uses a dual-clutch system to change gears electronically in 150 ms. This seven speed gearbox is produced by Ricardo. It can be driven in fully automatic mode and is attached to Haldex Traction, electro-hydraulic, limited-slip clutch that can engage and disengage the front wheels. Standard power split sends 55% of the torque to the rear wheels.

When driven above 137 mph (220 kph), hydraulics lower the car and deploy a large rear wing. This mode is called handling mode and increases downforce to 770 pounds (3425 newtons). Using a Top Speed Key, the driver can configure the car to High Speed Mode. In this mode the car drops from 4.9 inches of ground clearance to just 2.6. The spoiler also retracts and the air diffusers close.

Braking is provided by carbon rotors with titanium calipers. During extreme deceleration the rear wing positions to 55-degrees and acts as an air brake.

Summary

After 47 years of production, a 50 year break and a revival from Volkswagen, Bugatti is back. The Veyron is the fastest accelerating (0-60 in 2.46 seconds), most consuming (5.82 mpg), most expensive (1,440,800 USD) and quickest (253 mph) production car available. These figures help it live up a rich tradition of superlative designs that include the Type 35 and Type 41 Royale.

Story by Richard Owen, edited by Janine Reitsma

Pictures & Gallery

See full 2006 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron Gallery here

 

Specs & Performance

   
type Series Production Car
released at 2005 Pebble Beach Concours
built at Molshiem, France
body stylist Jozef Kabaň
engineers Wolfgang Schreiber
production 300
price $ $ 1,440,800
price €/td> €1,300,000
price £/td> £925,000
engine Aluminum, Narrow Angle W16 w/Dry Sump Lubrication
position Mid Longitudinal
aspiration Quad Turbocharged
block material Forged Aluminum Alloy
valvetrain DOHC 4 Valves / Cyl w/VVT
fuel feed Multi-point Electronic Sequential Indirect Injection
displacement 7993 cc / 487.8 in³
bore 86 mm / 3.39 in
stroke 86 mm / 3.39 in
compression 9.0:1
power 746.5 kw / 1001 bhp @ 6000 rpm
specific output 125.23 bhp per litre
bhp/weight 490.45 bhp per tonne
torque 1250 nm / 922.0 ft lbs @ 3300 rpm
redline 6600
body / frame Aluminum Panels over Carbon Fibre Monocoque w/Aluminum Front Subframe, Hybrid VCarbon/Stainless Steel Rear Subframe
driven wheels 4WD w/TCS, Stability Control, Haldex LSD
wheel type Forged Alloy
front tires 265/680ZR500A 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport
rear tires 365/710ZR540A 108Y Michelin Pilot Sport
front brakes Ventilated & Drilled Carbon Discs w/8-Piston Calipers
f brake size 38.1 x 401 mm / 1.5 x 15.8 in
rear brakes Ventilated & Drilled Carbon Discs w/6-Piston Calipers
r brake size 33.0 x 381 mm / 1.3 x 15.0 in
front wheels F 50.8 x 28.4 cm / 20 x 11.2 in
rear wheels R 53.3 x 36.6 cm / 21 x 14.4 in
steering Rack & Pinoin w/Hydraulic Power Assist
f suspension Control Arms w/Coil Springs, Anti-Roll Bar
r suspension Control Arms w/Coil Springs, Anti-Roll Bar
curb weight 2041 kg / 4500 lbs
weight distro 44 % / 55 %
wheelbase 2710 mm / 106.7 in
front track 1715 mm / 67.5 in
rear track 1618 mm / 63.7 in
length 4463 mm / 175.7 in
width 1999 mm / 78.7 in
height 1212 mm / 47.7 in
transmission Electronically-Controlled Ricardo 7-Speed e/Dual-Clutch
tran clutch Double-Clutch
gear ratios 3.18:1, 2.26:1, 1.68:1, 1.29:1, 1.06:1, 0.88:1, 0.80:1
final drive 3.64:1
top speed ~407.2 kph / 253 mph
0 – 60 mph ~2.48 seconds
0 – 100 mph ~5.7 seconds
0 – 1/4 mile ~10.3 seconds
drag 0.39 Cd
fuel econ epa 21 L/100 km or 11 mpg-us
city fuel econ epa 29 L/100 km or 8 mpg-us
hwy fuel econ epa 17 L/100 km or 14 mpg-us
fuel capacity 100 litres or 26.40 gal.

Auction Sales History

2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 VF9SA15B36M795001 – sold for $1,815,000 Number “001”: the very first production Bugatti Veyron. A 253-mph top speed!. Displayed at the 2015 Geneva Auto Show. Showing 764 actual miles; exceptional condition throughout. Recent service by Bugatti of Beverly Hills. Offered with a unique pre-owned warranty and service package from Bugatti Certified. Together with chassis “300.” one of the most historically important Veyrons ever built.
Auction Source: RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015

 

2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 VF9SA15B06M795005 – sold for $924,000 Bugatti’s Show Car for the Veyron’s 2006 North American Debut. The Fifth Veyron Built. Less than 100 Miles from New Highly Original, One-Owner Example. The First Veyron Sold in the US. Recent Bugatti Factory Updates. An Important Modern Supercar.
Auction Source: The 2013 Amelia Island Auction by Gooding & Company

 

2008 Bugatti Veyron VF9SA25C18M795211 – sold for $1,182,500

The Fastest Contemporary Production Car. Numerous Bespoke Features. A Truly Remarkable Feat of Engineering. Less Than 1,700 Miles From New.

The car is equipped with several options that distinguish it from other Veyron Coupes. These include a black-finished grille and air intakes, black painted wheels and a red “EB” logo on the rear of the car, the fuel cap and the wheel centers. Inside, the carbon-frame seats are wrapped in Beluga Black leather with contrasting red stitching and embroidered red “EB” logo.

Auction Source: 2012 Pebble Beach Auctions by Gooding & Company

 

2006 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 – did not sell for €650,000

This incredible car was originally delivered to the UK in 2006 and displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that summer. As it was the first Veyron delivered to the UK, it has an extra chassis plate with UK1 on it (which has never been fitted to the car). The car had one previous owner prior to the vendor and carried the prized registration B1. Since, it has only covered 9,500 km (5,937 miles) from new and comes complete with service history/books, MOT, handbooks, cover, charger, PDA and speed key. The car has been known to H.R. Owen all its life, and the company has confirmed that it has never required any paintwork or repairs. A complete list of service records have been stamped in the book as well. Additionally, the Veyron is offered with an extra set of wheels, and the vendor recently had the car fully serviced by Bugatti in London to ensure a clean bill of health at time of sale.

Auction Source: Monaco 2012 by RM Auctions

 

2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 – did not sell for $900,000

This particular example is a pampered, one-owner Veyron painted Graphite over Sterling. The interior is Grigio with the dash and steering wheel in slate. The odometer reads just 440 miles and the factory warranty has been extended until November 2010. Warranty book, Bugatti history book, battery charger, special key, computer program, navigation system, and car cover are included. This is a truly remarkable automobile given the Veyron’s estimated current replacement cost of $1.9 million, and will certainly be one to decorate the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach within the coming decades!

Auction Source: 2009 RM Auctions Sports & Classics of Monterey