Masterful Technology

Bugatti Veyron 16.4

With its 16-cylinder four-wheel drive, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 may well be the most sophisticated production vehicle of all times. Boasting a maximum speed of more than 400 km per hour, the Veyron is unmatched in the super sports category. It offers a total of 1,001 HP, and its ample power reserves even at high speeds are the fabric of dreams for luxury-class limousines: for a constant speed of 250 km/h, the Veyron only needs 270-280 HP. This means that the seven-gear clutch transmission works with a torque of up to 1,250 Newton meters. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) ensures the necessary flexibility and maneuverability at any speed. The Veyron reaches velocities that would literally lift the car off the ground – if it weren’t for its ingenious aerodynamics, which keeps it firmly on the road even at full speed. Adjusting the back spoiler, reducing ground clearance, opening and closing the lids – it all adds to the perfect balance between propulsion and downforce. Such a super sports car may not seem to be brought to a halt easily, but the Veyron’s ceramic brakes slow it down faster than it can accelerate. While it takes this exceptional car only 2.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h, it needs even less time – a mere 2.3 seconds – to come to a standstill from 100 (reference point). To reduce the risk of injuries in accidents, Bugatti had a Formula 1 safety concept adapted for the Veyron. All these technical details combine to make the Veyron a truly exceptional super sports car.

A super sports car like the Veyron 16.4 needs to be light in order to reach top speeds. From the initial concept to the design and the selection of materials, the Bugatti engineers tapped the full potential of their considerable expertise to ensure that this car is, indeed, a light weight. Titanium, carbon, magnesium, and aluminum – each part of the Veyron 16.4 is made of the material with the lowest weight and the highest level of functionality. The titanium piston rods save approx. 4 kg of weight, the titanium screws 3.5 kg, and the magnesium valve caps another 2 kg. By reducing the wheelbase, the original weight was reduced by about a third, and the titanium exhaust system – another Veyron 16.4 first – with its wafer-thin layer of titanium aluminite saves yet another 17 kg. These combined efforts capped the Veyron 16.4’s weight at a compact 1,888 kg. Add the car’s high-powered performance and unmatched speed, and you have a uniquely fast and nimble super sports car.

Optimum protection is guaranteed by the car’s carbon monocoque construction: weighing only 110 kg, the survival cell withstands enormous crash impact forces. This principle is comparable to that used in the Formula 1 world, where drivers usually emerge uninjured from their cars even after severe accidents. The maximum impact force reduction is mainly due to the frames integrated in the carbon monocoque. The front part of the monocoque is made of aluminum; the rear consists of a combination of carbon, stainless steel, and aluminum. The car’s safety concept, which includes two frontal airbags for the front-seat occupants, is so sophisticated that additional airbags would be redundant. Crash tests have shown the Veyron 16.4 to conform to all international safety standards – and to exceed them. As painful as it was for the engineers to watch their valuable prototypes hit the test wall, they were always glad to see that the Veyron survived these maneuvers almost unharmed.

With its luxurious length of 4.47 m, the Veyron is a perfectly balanced combination of high-powered performance and sleek, racy design. Even at complete standstill, the car’s enormous power is made visible by its impressive mid-engine, elevated majestically beneath the chassis. Simultaneously, the Veyron’s bold proportions, well-balanced surfaces, and clear line structures give an impression of pure, sleek elegance. With its classic look, the large radiator grill – adorned with the hand-enameled Bugatti emblem – represents the grandness of the Veyron. The sports car’s distinctive front is defined by the harmonious contrast of its broad headlights and majestic grill. The rear end, 1.99 m wide, features the formidable retractable spoiler and generously designed fenders. The Veyron perfectly fulfills the main design objective governing the development of the new Bugatti: an uncompromising combination of highest elegance and state-of-the-art technology.