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The Bugatti Veyron is in Australia. Straight from its demonstration laps at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, the fastest and most expensive production car ever built is currently on display at the 2008 Melbourne Motor Show. But be quick, it’s here for just three days.
In all-black, with a top speed of more than 400 km/h and an estimated Australian price of $2.7 million, the Veyron makes all other supercars look slow and inexpensive by comparison.
The left-hand drive production car has been brought to the Motor Show in collaboration with the organisers of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide and Trivett Bespoke Automotive, the Australian importer/dealer for Bugatti.
Veyron's specifications and performance are breathtaking, with a top speed of 408km/h and 0-100km/h in just 2.5 seconds - it can do the 0-200 km/h run in just 7.3 seconds, a good time for a powerful family car to reach 100.
Its 8-litre quad-turbo W16-cylinder engine produces a massive 736kW (1001hp). The W engine is essentially two narrow-angle V8 engines joined together creating a W. Power is transmitted to all four wheels through a seven-speed sequential dual-clutch manual-matic transmission that was partly designed and developed by an Australian manufacturer.
The Veyron was unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show and two months later six cars were sold at the Dubai Motor Show marking the first official sales. Over five years, Bugatti had planned to build 300 Veyrons however with more than 70 firm orders catering for 14 months of cars, production has been ramped up.
Luxury and performance details abound, with a cockpit that recaptures the glory days of hand-built classic Bugattis and features such as a large spoiler that deploys above 200km/h.
The pop-up spoiler doubles as an air brake at higher speeds, adding to the decelerative power of the massive carbon ceramic disc brakes to stop the car from 100km/h in just 31.4 metres.
Veyron is built around a carbon fibre monocoque body shell and features magnesium, titanium and aluminium components to keep its weight down, if that’s the right term, to 1888kg. Considering the engine, four turbos and all-wheel drivetrain, that’s it’s the same weight as a Ford Falcon V8 is astounding.
Horsepower produces extensive heat and cooling was the Veyron’s biggest concern – the car has a total of 10 radiators for everything from the engine, to air-conditioning, and hydraulic rear wing.
A special ‘top speed key’ must be used to enable the full 407km/h, which lowers the suspension and ensures the body is in ‘minimum drag’ mode.
The Veyron also consumes more than any other car: in the city cycle, it consumes 40.4l/100km, and at full throttle, guzzles 125l/100km – which would empty its 100 litre tank in just 12 minutes.
If a Veyron isn’t exclusive enough, then consider the Pur Sang version. French for ‘pure blood’ the car is delivered in unpainted raw aluminium and carbon fibre. Just five will be built.
