RobHardyUK
11-07-03, 11:33 PM
252mph Bugatti Gets Green Light
At a private viewing prior to the Monaco GP, Bugatti quietly announced the production version of its EB 16.4 Veyron. There are some fundamental changes to the car. A dramatic rear spoiler, hidden in the trailing-edge of the Bugatti's tapering rump, flips up both at very high speeds and also when the car brakes heavily - helping avoid the sudden rear-end break-away that plagued the original, smooth-tail Audi TT.
The final version also has a tweaked frontal air intake layout to cope with cooling problems that have proved trickier to iron-out than originally imagined. There are now also vents cutting into the front wings and the leading edge of the doors, indicating the extent of the cooling difficulties.
But the W16 engine and its quartet of turbos will deliver the promised '1001PS' - that's 987bhp. Torque peaks at 922lb ft at 2200rpm and flatlines all the way to 5500rpm. Bugatti claims a 252mph top speed and that the car will crack 186mph in under 14sec, though engineers admit that another vexing issue is designing tyres that can cope reliably with that top speed.
Production starts later this year and a few years' worth of cars have already been sold. Price? Rumoured to be around ?700,000, depending on the ?/euro exchange rate
At a private viewing prior to the Monaco GP, Bugatti quietly announced the production version of its EB 16.4 Veyron. There are some fundamental changes to the car. A dramatic rear spoiler, hidden in the trailing-edge of the Bugatti's tapering rump, flips up both at very high speeds and also when the car brakes heavily - helping avoid the sudden rear-end break-away that plagued the original, smooth-tail Audi TT.
The final version also has a tweaked frontal air intake layout to cope with cooling problems that have proved trickier to iron-out than originally imagined. There are now also vents cutting into the front wings and the leading edge of the doors, indicating the extent of the cooling difficulties.
But the W16 engine and its quartet of turbos will deliver the promised '1001PS' - that's 987bhp. Torque peaks at 922lb ft at 2200rpm and flatlines all the way to 5500rpm. Bugatti claims a 252mph top speed and that the car will crack 186mph in under 14sec, though engineers admit that another vexing issue is designing tyres that can cope reliably with that top speed.
Production starts later this year and a few years' worth of cars have already been sold. Price? Rumoured to be around ?700,000, depending on the ?/euro exchange rate