1931 Bugatti Type 51

Bugatti Type 51 cockpit with Wilson preselector gearbox

The Type 51 series succeeded the famous Type 35 as Bugatti‘s premier racing car for the 1930s. Unlike the dominant Type 35s of the prior decade, the Type 51 (and later Type 53, Type 54, and Type 59) were unable to compete with the government-supported German and Italian offerings.

Type 51

The original Type 51 emerged in 1931. Its engine was a 160 hp (119 kW) twin overhead cam evolution of the supercharged 2.3 L (2262 cc/138 in³) single overhead cam straight-8 found in the Type 35B. A victory in the 1931French Grand Prix was a rare case of success for the line. About 40 examples of the Type 51 and 51A were produced. The Type 51 is visually very similar to the Type 35. The obvious external differences of a Type 51 are: the supercharger blow-off outlet is lower the bonnet in the louvered section; one piece cast wheels instead of bolted on rims; twin fuel caps behind the driver and finally the magneto being off-set to the left on the dash. However many Type 35 cars have been fitted with later wheels, so that is not a reliable signal.

Type 54

Type 54, chassis no. 154201

Grand Prix car of 1931, fitted with a twin overhead-cam 4.9 liter engine delivering 300 hp (223 kW). Four or five were built.

	1931 Bugatti Type 51 MENU 0:00 Bugatti Type 51 at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Type 59

The final Bugatti race car of the 1930s was the Type 59 of 1934. It used an enlarged 3.3 L (3257 cc/198 in³) version of the straight-8 Type 57‘s engine sitting in a modified Type 54 chassis. The engine was lowered for a better center of gravity, and the frame was lightened with a number of holes drilled in the chassis. The signature piano wire wheels used splines between the brake drum and rim, and relied on the radial spokes to handle cornering loads. 250 hp (186 kW) was on tap, and 8 were made.

• 1933 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix racer from the Ralph Lauren collection
• 
• 
• 

  Bugatti Type 18

  Bugatti type 18
  Black Bess
  Overview
  Manufacturer	Bugatti
  Production	1912-1914
  Powertrain
  Engine	5,027 cc (307 cu in) Straight-4
  Transmission	four-speed sliding-pinion gearbox final drive by side chains
  Dimensions
  Wheelbase	100.4 in (2,550.2 mm) Track 49.2 in (1,249.7 mm)
  Kerb weight	2,750 lb (1,247 kg)

  Bugatti Engine type 18
  Overview
  Manufacturer	Bugatti
  Combustion chamber
  Configuration	vertical straight four-cylinder in front of the car
  Displacement	5,027 cc (307 cu in)
  Cylinder bore	100 mm (3.9 in)
  Piston stroke	160 mm (6.3 in)
  Valvetrain	2-exhaust valves and 1-inlet valve per cylinder mechanically operated by fingers between the overhead camshaft and the valves
  Combustion
  Fuel system	ignition by high tension magneto
  Output
  Power output	100 bhp (75 kW; 100 PS) maximum r.p.m. 2,400 UK tax rating 24.8 h.p.

  The Bugatti Type 18, also called the Garros, is an automobile produced from 1912 through 1914. Produced shortly after the start of the business, the design was something of a relic. It had much in common with the cars Ettore Bugatti had designed for Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik but with the radiator of the Type 13. Only 6 or 7 examples were built.

  Engine

  Power came from a large 5.0 L (5027 cc/306 in³) straight-4 engine with 3 valves per cylinder and a single overhead camshaft. This large engine had a 100 mm bore and very long 160 mm stroke, so it could only rev to about 2400 rpm. The rear wheels were chain driven.^[2]

  Garros

  Roland Garros (1888-1918) aviator, sportsman, close friend of Ettore Bugatti was the first owner of Black Bess in 1913. It was the fourth car built and was to be the only Bugatti with chain drive. A keen tennis player the French Open was named after Garros in 1927.

  Black Bess

  Named Black Bess, after Dick Turpin‘s mare, by 1920s owner Ivy Cummings, this car had a considerable career at Brooklands soon after the first World War.

  Road test

  In spite of the advanced nature of its design the engine gives little of the harsh racing car impression. Again, in spite of the size of that engine it does not give the impression of a big car and in spite of the tall radiator the short wheelbase lends it the appearance of a small sports car. On the road that impression is reinforced, the delicacy of control makes it a joy to drive and one can still flick the gearlever about as you may do only in an early Bugatti.

  The subdued howl and occasional suggestion of snatch from the side chains remind that this is a period car. If this car is typical of what the Prince Henry Tours produced the Prince Henry period can only be regarded as a most important constituent of the Golden Age.
  Kent Karslake, 1956.

  Two other survivors

  The only other surviving examples are in the Schlumpf Collection, Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse, France and the other car is privately owned and in England.

  Black Bess changed stable in 2009 for €2,427,500.

  • Black Bess at Louwman Museum The Hague, coachwork is by Henri Labourdette
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Bugatti Royale

    Bugatti Type 41
    Overview
    Manufacturer	Bugatti
    Also called	Bugatti Royale
    Production	1927–1933 (6 produced)
    Body and chassis
    Class	Luxury car, Classic car
    Body style	Berline, coupé, cabriolet, roadster
    Layout	FR layout
    Powertrain
    Engine	12,763 cc (12.7 L) (779 cu in.).straight-8
    Transmission	3-speed manual
    Dimensions
    Wheelbase	~4.3 m (169.3 in)
    Length	~6.4 m (252.0 in)
    Curb weight	~3,175 kg (7,000 lb)

    The Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, is a large luxury car built from 1927 to 1933 with a 4.3 m (169.3 in) wheelbase and 6.4 m (21 ft) overall length. It weighs approximately 3175 kg (7000 lb) and uses a 12.7 L (12763 cc/778 cu in) straight-eight engine. For comparison, against the modern Rolls-Royce Phantom (produced from 2003 onward), the Royale is about 20% longer, and more than 25% heavier. This makes the Royale one of the largest cars in the world.

    Ettore Bugatti planned to build twenty-five of these cars, sell them to royalty and to be the most luxurious car ever. But even European royalty was not buying such things during the Great Depression, and Bugatti was able to sell only three of the six made.

    Design

    

    Type 41 radiator cap

    Crafted by Ettore Bugatti, the Type 41 is said to have come about because he took exception to the comments of an English lady who compared his cars unfavourably with those of Rolls-Royce.

    Engine

    The prototype had a near 15-litre capacity engine. The production version, its stroke reduced from 150 mm (5.9 in) to 130 mm (5.1 in) had a displacement of 12.7 litres. The engine was built around a single huge block, and at (approx. 4.5 ft (1.4 m) long x 3.5 ft (1.1 m) high), is one of the largest automobile engines ever made, producing 205–224 kW (275–300 hp). Its eight cylinders, bored to 125 mm (4.9 in) and with a stroke length of 130 mm (5.1 in), each displaced more than the entire engine of the contemporary Type 40 touring car. It had 3 valves per cylinder (two inlet:one exhaust) driven by a centrally positioned single overhead camshaft. Three bearings and only a single custom carburettor was needed. The engine was based on an aero-engine design that had been designed for the French Air Ministry, but never produced in that configuration.

    The engine block and cylinder head were cast in one unit. Grinding of the engine valves was a regular maintenance requirement, and removing the engine valves for grinding required removing and disassembling the large cast iron engine.

    Chassis

    The chassis was understandably substantial, with a conventional semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension arrangement at the front. At the rear the forward-facing Bugatti quarter-elliptics were supplemented by a second set facing to the rear.

    Strangely, for the modern day observer, the aluminium clutch box was attached to the chassis, not to the engine, and the gear box, also in aluminium, was attached to the rear axle, so was part of the unsprung mass of the suspension. The reason placing clutch and gearbox at such odd locations was reducing noise, so increasing comfort inside the cars, a difficult problem in those days. On the other hand, in view of the Royale’s huge mass, placing the gearbox on the rear axle did not present a driveability problem.

    Massive brake shoes were mechanically operated via cable controls: the brakes were effective but without servo-assistance required significant muscle power from the driver.The car’s light alloy “Roue Royale” wheels measured 610 millimetres (24 in) in diameter and were cast in one piece with the brake drums.

    Controls

    Reflecting some tradition-based fashions of the time, the driver was confronted by a series of knobs of whalebone, while the steering wheel was covered with walnut.

    Performance

    A road test performed in 1926 by W. F. Bradley at the request of Ettore Bugatti for the Autocar magazine proved how exquisite chassis construction allowed very good and balanced handling at speed, similar to smaller Bugatti sports cars, despite the car’s weight and size.

    All Royales were individually bodied. The radiator cap was a posed elephant, a sculpture by Ettore’s brother Rembrandt Bugatti.

    Production

    In 1928 Ettore Bugatti asserted that “this year King Alfonso of Spain will receive his Royale”, but the Spanish king was deposed without taking delivery of a Royale, and the first of the cars to find a customer was not delivered until 1932. The Royale with a basic chassis price of $30,000, was launched just as the world economy began to deteriorate into the 1930s Great Depression. Six Royales were built between 1929 and 1933, with just three sold to external customers. Intended for royalty, none was eventually sold to any royals, and Bugatti even refused to sell one to King Zog of Albania, claiming that “the man’s table manners are beyond belief!”

    All six production Royales still exist, the prototype was destroyed in an accident in 1931, and each has a different body, some having been rebodied several times.

    41.110 – Coupé Napoleon

    

    Chassis no.41.110, known as the Coupé Napoleon, at home in the Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse

    • The first car is chassis number 41.110
    • Known as the Coupe Napoleon
    • This car was fitted with the larger 14.7 litre prototype engine

    • The Coupé Napoleon was used by Ettore Bugatti, and in his later life became his personal car. It remained in the family’s possession, housed at their Ermenonville chateau until financial difficulties enforced its sale in 1963. It subsequently passed into the hands of Bugatti obsessive Fritz Schlumpf.
    • It originally had a Packard body. It was rebodied by Paris coach builder Weymann as a two door fixed head coupe. The Weymann body was replaced after the car was crashed by Ettore Bugatti who in 1930 or 1931 fell asleep at the wheel travelling home from Paris to Alsace necessitating a major rebuild.
    • At various stages it was also fitted with other bodies.
    • Bricked up with 41.141 and 41.150 during World War II at the home of the Bugatti family in Ermenonville, to avoid being commandeered by the Nazis.
    • Sold by L’Ebe Bugatti in the early 1960s to the brothers Schlumpf
    • Resides in the Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse, alongside 41.131 that the Schlumpf brothers had acquired from John Shakespeare.

    41.111 – Coupé de ville Binder

    

    The Royale Coupe De Ville Binder 41.111 at the 2004 Goodwood Revival

    • The second car built, but the first to find a customer, is chassis no.41.111
    • Known as the Coupé de ville Binder
    • Sold in April 1932 to French clothing manufacturer Armand Esders. Ettore’s eldest son, Jean, fashioned for the car a dramatic two-seater open body with flamboyant, full-bodied wings and a dickey seat, but no headlamps. In this form it became known as the Royale Esders Roadster.
    • Purchased by the French politician Paternotre, the car was rebodied in the Coupé de ville style by the coach builder Henri Binder. From this point onwards, known as the Coupé de ville Binder
    • Never delivered to the King of Romania due to World War 2, it was hidden from the Nazis by storing it in the sewers of Paris
    • Briefly located in the United Kingdom after World War 2, and was then acquired by Dudley C. Wilson of the US in 1954. On his death in 1961 it passed to banker Mills B Lane of Atlanta before in 1964 taking up residence in The Harrah Collection at Reno, Nevada, bought at the then sensational price of $45,000 (approximately what the car had cost new).
    • Sold in 1986 to an American collector, home builder, and US Air Force Reserve Major General William Lyon, he offered the car during the 1996 Barrett-Jackson Auction by private treaty sale, where he refused an offer of US$11 million; the reserve was set at US$15 million.
    • In 1999, the new owner of the Bugatti brand, Volkswagen AG, bought the car for a reported US$20 million. Now used as a brand promotion vehicle, it travels to various museums and locations

    41.121 – Cabriolet Weinberger

    

    Chassis no.41.121, Bugatti Type 41 Royale ‘Weinberger Cabriolet’ 1931

    • The third car is chassis no.41.121
    • Known as the Cabriolet Weinberger
    • Sold in 1932 to German obstetrician Josef Fuchs, who specified coach builder Ludwig Weinberger of Munich to build him an open cabriolet. Painted black with yellow, the car was delivered to Dr Fuchs in May, 1932.
    • As political tensions rose in pre-war Germany, Fuchs, relocated to Italy, then Japan; before permanently relocating to New York around 1937, bringing the Royale with him.
    • Admired in Dr Fuchs ownership by Charles Chayne, later vice-president of Corporate Engineering at General Motors. Chayne later found the car in a scrap yard in New York, buying it in 1946 for US$400. Chayne would amass an impressive collection of classic cars in the 1940s and 1950s.
    • Chayne first had the car running again, then he modified the car to make it more road usable and is said to have spent over US$10,000 doing so, with the completed car featuring from 1947 onwards: a brand-new intake manifold with four carburetors, instead of the original single carb setup; a new paint scheme of oyster white with a dark green trim and convertible roof
    • In 1957, after running the car for ten years, Chayne donated the car to the Henry Ford Museum, located in Dearborn, Michigan, US where it is still located. The associated placard, in its entirety, reads: “1931 Bugatti Royale Type 41 Cabriolet, Ettore Bugatti, Molsheim, France, Body by Weinberger, OHC, in-line 8 cylinder, 300 horsepower, 779 cu.in. displacement, 7,035 lb (3,191 kg). Original price: $43,000, Gift of Charles and Esther Chayne.”

    41.131 – Limousine Park-Ward

    

    Chassis no.41.131, known as theLimousine Park-Ward, at home in the Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse

    • The fourth car is chassis no.41.131
    • Known as the Foster car or Limousine Park-Ward
    • sold to Englishman Captain Cuthbert W. Foster, heir to a large department store in Boston, USA, through his American mother, in 1933. Foster had a limousine body made for the car by Park Ward, created in the style of a 1921 Daimler he had once owned.
    • Acquired in 1946 by British Bugatti dealer Jack Lemon Burton for around £700, who was forced to replace the huge tires with ones from an artillery piece, necessitating the need to remove the skirting from the fenders.
    • Sold June/July 1956 to American Bugatti collector John Shakespeare, becoming part of the largest collection of Bugattis at that time. Shakespeare paid £3,500 for the car, which was in mint condition. This was a substantial price for a collector car in 1956. Two show-condition SJ Duesenbergs could be bought at the same price that year. Brand new Ferraris started around this price in 1956 as well.
    • Facing financial problems, in 1963 Shakespeare sold his car collection to Fritz Schlumpf
    • Part of the Schlumpf Collection
    • Resides in the Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse, alongside 41.110 that the brothers Schlumpf had acquired from the Bugatti estate.

    41.141 – Kellner car

    • The fifth car is chassis no.41.141
    • Known as the Kellner car
    • Unsold, it was kept by Bugatti
    • Bricked up with 41.110 and 41.150 during World War II at the home of the Bugatti family in Ermenonville, to avoid being commandeered by the Nazis.
    • Sold together with 41.150 by L’Ebe Bugatti in the Summer of 1950 to American Le Mans racer Briggs Cunningham, in return for FR₣200000, ($571 US) plus a pair of new General Electric refrigerators, then unavailable in post-war France. Note that the French franc had been drastically devalued in the years immediately following the war. The refrigerators were included out of gratuity. The car was rough but drive-able. Taking the refrigerators into account, he essentially paid about US$600 per car. Restoration costs would bring the total cost up to about 1 million Francs, or $2,858 US, per car. The cars were delivered to the states in January 1951.
    • After closing his museum in 1986, in 1987 the car was sold direct from Briggs Cunningham’s collection by Christie’s for £5.5 million or $9.7 million U.S. at the Royal Albert Hall, to Swedish property tycoon Hans Thulin
    • The car was also offered for auction in 1989 by Kruse in Las Vegas, US. Ed Weaver bid to US$11.5 million, which was declined by Thulin as the reserve was US$15 million. On collapse of his empire, Thulin sold the car in 1990 for a reported $15.7 million to Japanese conglomerate the Meitec Corporation, and it resided in their modern building basement before being offered for sale for £10million by Bonhams & Brooks by private treaty in 2001.
    • Ownership is presently unknown, but it has been shown in recent years by Swiss broker Lukas Huni.

    41.150 – Berline de Voyage

    • The sixth car is chassis no. 41.150
    • Known as the Berline de Voyage
    • Unsold, it was kept by Bugatti
    • Bricked up with 41.110 and 41.141 during World War II at the home of the Bugatti family in Ermenonville, to avoid being commandeered by the Nazis.
    • Sold together with 41.141 by L’Ebe Bugatti in the Summer of 1950 to American Le Mans racer Briggs Cunningham, in return for FR₣200000, ($571 US) plus a pair of new General Electric refrigerators, then unavailable in post-war France. Bear in mind that the French franc had been drastically devalued in the years immediately following the war. The refrigerators were included out of gratuity. The car was rough but drive-able. Taking the refrigerators into account, he essentially paid about $600 per car. Restoration costs would bring the total cost up to about 1 million Francs, or $2,858 US, per car. The cars were delivered to the US in January 1951.
    • On their arrival in the United States, Cunningham sold 41.150, first to Cameron Peck in early 1952 for about $6,500, (at the time one of the highest prices ever paid for a collector car, landing Cunningham a substantial profit). From there the car would eventually find its way into The Harrah Collection.The car was then sold at the 1986 Harrah auction where Jerry J. Moore paid $6.5 million for it, he kept it for 1 year and then sold it to Tom Monaghan for £5.7 million (US$8.1 million).
    • In 1991, Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza, sold 41.150 for US$8,000,000, which was actually less than the £5.7 million for which he purchased it in 1987 from Jerry J. Moore.
    • The car was sold to the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, California, where it has been on display at various times.

    

    Most of the engines intended for the Royale were derated and found their way into a series of high-speed Bugatti railcars.

    French National Railway SNCF

    To utilize the remaining 23 engines after the final Royale was built, Bugatti built a railcar powered by either two or four of the eight-cylinder units. Seventy-nine were built for the French National Railway SNCF, using a further 186 engines, the last of them remaining in regular use until 1956 or 1958 (sources differ). The railcar turned the Royale project from an economic failure into a commercial success for Bugatti. The engines were derated to produce only about 200 hp, but even in this form they provided excellent performance. One of the railcars took a world average speed record of 122 mph (196 km/h) for 43.9 miles (70.7 km).

    Replica cars

    

    The brothers Schlumpf replica of theRoyale Esders Coupe on display at the

    2006Paris Motor Show

    

    Replica of Coupe Napoleon, made for the French film Rebus with an American V8 engine, now residing in the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum

    In light of the rarity of the Type 41 and its associated price, it is unsurprising that some replicas have been made.

    The Schlumpf brothers so liked the original Dr Armand Esders coupe body on chassis 41.111, using original Bugatti parts they had a replica made of the car. It now resides with the two originals they purchased at the Musée National de l’Automobile de Mulhouse.

    The late Tom Wheatcroft commissioned Ashton Keynes Vintage Restorations to build an exact replica of Bugatti’s personal car, the Coupe Napoleon (chassis number 41.110), for his Donington Grand Prix Collection inEngland. It has since been sold and left the collection. So good was the replica, that when the Kellner car needed a replacement piston, its then Japanese owners commissioned South Cerney Engineering part of AKVR to provide a replacement.

    On May 24, 2008, Prince Joachim of Denmark on the day of his wedding to Princess Marie (formerly Marie Cavallier) had Wheatcroft’s replica waiting outside Møgeltønder Church to drive the newly married couple to Schackenborg Castle.

    The much smaller Panther De Ville (produced between 1974 and 1985) consciously resembled the Type 41.

    Reunion

    In 2007 to celebrate the Royale’s eightieth anniversary, five of the six cars were on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

    In the 1985 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, all six appeared together on display.

    In literature

    A Bugatti Royale features in the 2012 book Lucia on Holiday by Guy Fraser-Sampson, an addition to the Mapp and Lucia series of novels by E.F.Benson. In the story Major Mapp-Flint is asked by a maharajah to drive the car from Paris to Bellagio, but he drives so badly and inflicts so much damage that the maharajah has the car driven into Lake Como.

    The Bugatti Royale 41.151 Berline de Voyage 1931 also features throughout the 2014 book The Eye of Zoltar, book 3 of The Last Dragonslayer series by Jasper Fforde. The car is referenced ten times within the book. The protagonist Jennifer Strange describes her choice of car “After looking at several I’d chosen a massive vintage car called a Bugatti Royale. Inside it was sumptuously comfortable, and outside, the bonnet was so long that in misty weather it was hard to make out the hood ornament.”

    The Bugatti Royale features in the David Grossman book The Zigzag Kid

    A blood-red Bugatti type 41 Royale Coupe de Ville appears in Leslie Charteris‘ Vendetta For the Saint (Doubleday 1964, ghostwritten by Harry Harrison) as a rental car for Simon Templar.

    See also

    • Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, another car model devised to be sold to the royalty.

    Notes

    1. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} Buckley 2002.
    2. Jump up^ Pattinson 2009, pp. 1, 4, 5.
    3. Jump up^ Kimes 1990, p. 640.
    4. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y} Conway 1969, pp. 17–20.
    5. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} Rogliatti 1973, p. 232.
    6. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} Kimes 1990, p. 632.
    7. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} Rogliatti 1973, p. 233.
    8. Jump up^ “Royale Driving Report”. bugatti.com. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
    9. Jump up^ “The Most Beautiful Bugatti Royale Ever Made”. bugattipage.com. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
    10. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} “Bugatti Type 41 Royale Binder Coupe de Ville”. ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    11. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c} “Bugatti Type 41 Royale Weinberger Cabriolet”. ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    12. Jump up^ “Bugatti Type 41 Royale Park Ward Limousine”. ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    13. Jump up^ “The Cunningham Museum”. briggscunningham.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    14. Jump up^ “Kellner Bugatti T41 Royale”. coachbuild.com. Retrieved2009-01-01.
    15. Jump up^ “Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coach”. ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    16. Jump up^ “All Six Bugatti Royale Cars Displayed Together For First Time”. AP News Archive. Associated Press. 27 August 1985.External link in |work= (help)

    References

    • Buckley, Martin (2002-03-22). “The most expensive car in the world”. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
    • Conway, H. G. (8 February 1969). “The car of Kings”. Motor: 17–20.
    • Kimes, Beverly Rae, ed. (1990). “Bugatti”. The Classic Car. Des Plaines, IL US: Classic Car Club of America. pp. 627–640. ISBN 0-9627868-0-2. LCCN 90084421.
    • Menon, Sujatha, ed. (2004). Super Cars, Classics of Their Time. Quintet Publishing. ISBN 0-7607-6228-7.
    • Pattinson, Rob (1 January 2009). “The Wheels of Fortune (front page), History of the well-kept car (section, p5)” (newspaper) (Regionwide ed.). Evening Chronicle. pp. 1,4,5. Dr Carr’s hoarding instinct meant the car has remained virtually untouched and unused since the early 1960s. The current record sale for a car at auction stands at £4.7m, for a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe, sold in 1987.
    • Rogliatti, Gianni (1973). Posthumus, Cyril, ed. Period Cars. Feltham, Middlesex, UK: Hamlyn. pp. 232–233. ISBN 0-600-33401-5.
    • Great Cars – Bugatti (documentary)
    • Classic & Sports Car Magazine – October 1987
    • Jasper Fforde (2014). The Eye of Zoltar. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 9781444707274.

    Bugatti Type 55

    

    Bugatti Type 55

    The Bugatti Type 55 was a road-going version of the Type 54 Grand Prix car. A roadster, it had a short 108.3 in (2750 mm) wheelbase and light 1800 lb (816 kg) weight.

    Power came from the Type 51‘s 2.3 L (2262 cc/138 in³) straight-8 engine. This 2-valve DOHC unit produced 130 hp (96 kW) and could rev to 5000 rpm. A Roots-type supercharger was used.

    The car’s 4-speed manual transmission came from the Type 49 touring car. 38 examples were produced from 1932 through 1935 and they produced a racing version later on.

    Bugatti Type 57

    Bugatti Type 57
    Overview
    Manufacturer	Bugatti
    Production	1934–1940 710 produced
    Body and chassis
    Class	Grand tourer
    Powertrain
    Engine	3,257 cc DOHC Inline 8
    Chronology
    Predecessor	Bugatti Type 49
    Successor	Bugatti Type 101

    The Bugatti Type 57 and later variants (including the famous Atlantic and Atalante) was an entirely new design by Jean Bugatti, son of founder Ettore. Type 57s were built from 1934 through 1940, with a total of 710 examples produced.

    Most Type 57s used a twin-cam 3,257 cc engine based on that of the Type 49 but heavily modified by Jean Bugatti. Unlike the chain-drive twin-cam engines of the Type 50 and 51, the 57’s engine used gears to transmit power from the crankshaft.

    There were two basic variants of the Type 57 car:

    • The original Type 57
    • The lowered Type 57S

    The Type 57 chassis and engine was revived in 1951 as the Bugatti Type 101 for a short production.

    A rediscovered Type 57 sold for 3.4 million euros at auction on 7 February 2009 at a motor show in Paris.

    Type 57G

    The famous Type 57G tank-bodied racers used the 57S chassis in 1936 and 1937 and the 57C for 1939.

    Type 57

    

    Type 57 Coupé 1936.

    The original Type 57 was a touring car model produced from 1934 through 1940. It used the 3.3 L (3,257 cc; 198 cu in) engine from the Type 59 Grand Prix cars, producing 135 hp (100 kW). Top speed was 95 miles per hour (153 km/h).

    It rode on a 130-inch (3,302 mm) wheelbase and had a 53.1-inch (1,349 mm) wide track. Road-going versions weighed about 2,100 pounds (950 kg). Hydraulic brakes replaced the cable-operated units in 1938, a modification Ettore Bugatti hotly contested. 630 examples were produced.

    The original road-going Type 57 included a smaller version of the Royale‘s square-bottom horseshoe grille. The sides of the engine compartment were covered with thermostatically-controlled shutters. It was a tall car, contrary to the tastes of the time.

    Dimensions:

    • Wheelbase: 130 in (3,302 mm)
    • Track: 53.1 in (1,349 mm)
    • Weight: 2,100 lb (950 kg)

    Type 57T

    

    Type 57T Tourer

    The “tuned” Type 57T pushed the performance of the basic Type 57. It was capable of reaching 115 miles per hour (185 km/h).

    Type 57C

    

    Type 57C

    A Type 57C racing car was built from 1937 through 1940, with about 96 produced. It shared the 3.3 L engine from the road-going Type 57 but produced 160 hp (119 kW) with a Roots-type supercharger fitted.

    Type 57C Tank

    The 2nd incarnation Tank, this time based on the Type 57C, won Le Mans again in 1939. Shortly afterwards, Jean Bugatti took the winning car for a test on the Molsheim–Strasbourg road. Swerving to avoid a drunken bicyclist on the closed road, Bugatti crashed the car and died at age 30.

    Type 57S

    

    1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Gangloff Drop Head Coupe from the Ralph Lauren collection.

    The Type 57S/SC is one of the best-known Bugatti cars. The “S” stood for “surbaissé” (“lowered”). It included a v-shaped dip at the bottom of the radiator and mesh grilles on either side of the engine compartment.

    Lowering the car was a major undertaking. The rear axle now passed through the rear frame rather than riding under it, and a dry-sump lubrication system was required to fit the engine under the new low hood. The 57S had a nearly-independent suspension in front, though Ettore despised that notion.

    Just 43 “surbaissé” cars were built.

    Dimensions:

    • Wheelbase: 117.3 in (2,979 mm)
    • Track: 53.1 in (1,349 mm)
    • Weight: 2,100 lb (950 kg)

    Type 57SC

    Just two supercharged Type 57SC cars were built new, but most 57S owners wanted the additional power afforded by the blower. Therefore, most of the original Type 57S cars returned to Molsheim for the installation of a supercharger, pushing output from 175 hp (130 kW) to 200 hp (150 kW) and 120 mph (190 km/h). 2014 saw the unveiling of Ralph Lauren‘s unique $40 million version of this classic.

    “Aérolithe” concept and Atlantic production cars

    

    1935 Bugatti Type 57 Aérolithe.

    

    1938 Type 57SC Atlantic from the Ralph Lauren collection.

    The Atlantic body Type 57S featured flowing coupe lines with a pronounced dorsal seam running front to back. It was based on the “Aérolithe” concept car of 1935 and styled by Jean Bugatti. Like the Type 59 Grand Prix car, the Aérolithe used Elektron (a magnesium alloy) or Duralumin (an aluminium alloy) for its body panels. Therefore, the body panels were riveted externally, creating the signature seam.

    However the production Atlantics (just four were made) used plain aluminium, but the dorsal seams were retained for style, and have led to the car’s present fame.

    Three of the original four cars are known to survive and each has been restored to their former glory. Two have been honored with Best of Show awards at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

    Nr. 57374. The first production Atlantic was actually assembled from pieces of the Aerolithe show car. It was restored over long term ownership of Dr. Peter Williamson on New Hampshire. The restoration culminated in Best of Show at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours, shortly before Dr. Williamson’s passing. 57374 was then sold (at a reported price over $30 million) to Peter Mullin of the Mullin Automotive Museum near Los Angeles.

    Nr. 57473. This Atlantic has a most unfortunate history. Early in its life it received several styling changes at the hands of the renowned Paris coachbuilder Joseph Figoni. While the changes were subtle 57473 stands different than the other Atlantics. Its history takes an dark turn afterwards. After World War II it spent some time as a racecar and then was sold to a Rene Chatard. Chatard and a female companion were driving the car near Gien, France when they and the Bugatti were hit by a train. Neither survived the crash and the car was confiscated by French police. Much of the car survived but what remained was purchased in 1965 by an enthusastic Frenchman who began a full reconstruction. The car was finished in 1977 and then went on to several owners before the car underwent a full restoration by Paul Russell and Co. in 2006. The car has been restored to its Figoni specification and won acclaim at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours.

    Nr. 57591. The final production Atlantic led a charmed life that continues to this day. It was originally sold to a Bugatti enthusiast in Great Britain. It came under the ownership of Ralph Lauren, who then commissioned a full restoration with Paul Russell and Co. 57591 was unrestored at the time but had received multiple rebuilds and touch-ups through the years. Russell and Co. were able to cut through the past restoration work and revive the car back to its 1939 glory. They were rewarded with Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1990 and Best of Show at Villa d’Este in 2013, along with many other top awards.

    A fourth car with an unknown chassis number was kept by the factory but records of it have been lost.

    Type 57S45

    A special Type 57 S45 used a 4,743 cc engine like the Tank.

    Type 57G Tank

    The famous, 57S-based, 57G Tank won the 1936 French Grand Prix, as well as the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three 57G Tanks were produced. Serial number 01, the Le Mans winner, is currently on display at the Simeone Foundation Auto Museum in Philadelphia.

    Atalante

    

    57SC Atalante

    The Atalante was a two door coupe body style similar to and built after the Atlantic, built on both the Type 57 and 57S, but with a single piece windscreen and no fin. Only 17 Atalante cars were made, four of which reside in the Cité de l’Automobile Museum in Mulhouse, France (formerly known as the Musee Nationale de L’Automobile de Mulhouse).

    One Atalante, chassis number 57 784, with a 3 seats, 37 cm elongated aluminium bodywork made by Vanvooren, resides in the Museu do Caramulo in Caramulo, Portugal. Vanvooren would do two more bodies alike, one (Chassis 57808) for the french government, who gave it, in 1939, as a marriage gift of Prince Reza and Princess Fawzia, and another one (Chassis 57749). These two cars are in private collections in the United States.

    The name Atalante was derived from a heroine of Greek mythology, Atalanta.

    Rediscovered Type 57S Atalante

    Main article: Bugatti Type 57S Atalante number 57502

    In 2008 the Bugatti Type 57S with chassis number 57502 built in 1937 with the Atalante coachwork for Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe was discovered in a private garage in Newcastle upon Tyne, having been stored untouched for 48 years and known about only by a select few people. It was auctioned in February 2009 at the Rétromobile motor show in Paris, France, fetching €3.4 million (~ US$5 million), becoming one of the highest valued cars in automotive history, owing much to its extremely low mileage, original condition and ownership pedigree.

    References

    • Ray Bonds (2003). The Illustrated Directory of Sports Cars. Motorbooks. ISBN 0-7603-1420-9.

    1. Jump up^ Barrie Price. Bugatti 57: The Last French Bugatti. ISBN 9781901295665.
    2. Jump up^ Charles Lam Markmann, Mark Sherwin. The Book of Sports Cars – (France and Germany). ISBN 9788896365458.
    3. Jump up^ “Classic Bugatti makes 3.4m euros”. BBC News online. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
    4. Jump up^ 1937 Bugatti Type 57S. www.conceptcarz.com. n.d. Retrieved 1 January 2009. The Type 57S was a short-wheelbase sport version of Bugatti’s twin-camshaft, straight eight, 3.3 liter Type 57 model, and featured a ‘V’ radiator. Only 43 examples were built between 1936 and 1938, and this one was the last of 17 to be fitted with factory built black Atalante coupe coachwork…The Type 57S has been called the ultimate road going Bugatti. It is also one of the rarest…The Type 57 and its variants were intended for road going use…The catalogue bodies included two versions of the Ventoux Coupe, the Galibier four-door sedan, the Stelvio cabriolet, Atalante and Atlantic. The Atlantic, and its derivative the Atalante, were constructed in two-door coupe configuration.
    5. Jump up^ Simeone, Frederick A. (2009). The Spirit of Competition. Philadelphia, PA USA: Coachbuilt Press. p. 229. ISBN 9780977980949.
    6. Jump up^ “Bugatti 57C Atalante”. Museu do caramulo. n.d. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
    7. Jump up^ “1937 Type 57S Atalante found in Tyneside garage”. BBC Online. 1 January 2009.

    Bugatti Type 101

    Bugatti Type 101
    Overview
    Manufacturer	Bugatti
    Production	1951-1965 8 units
    Body and chassis
    Body style	4-door saloon cabriolet 2-door coach coupé roadster
    Layout	FR layout
    Related	Bugatti Type 57
    Powertrain
    Engine	3257 cc straight-8
    Transmission	4-speed manual
    Dimensions
    Wheelbase	3.3 m (130 in)

    The Bugatti Type 101 is a motor car made by Bugatti in 1951 and 1952 (one was built in 1965). In order to restart production after World War II and the deaths of Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean, the Type 101 was developed from the pre-war Type 57. Seven chassis were built; these were bodied by four different coachbuilders: Gangloff, Guilloré, Antem, and Ghia, the last to a design by Virgil Exner. The 101 was powered by the 3.3 L (3257 cc/198 in³) straight-8 from the Type 57.

    Production

    Six Type 101 chassis were built after an initial converted Type 57 chassis prototype. At least two more Type 57s were also converted to Type 101 specifications, making a total of nine Type 101 cars produced.

    The last Type 101 was built in 1965 by Ghia designed by Virgil Exner for the last remaining Type 101 chassis. It was exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in an attempt to revive the marque, but financing could not be arranged and production plans were scrapped. Exner owned the car for many years, and it has lately appeared in public at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

    Bugatti Type 252

    

    Bugatti Type 252 – Musée de l’automobile de Mulhouse

    The Bugatti Type 252 was a sports car produced by Bugatti between 1957 and 1962. However the Bugatti Type 252 never went beyond a prototype. This single model now resides in the Cité de l’Automobilemuseum in Mulhouse, France.

    Bugatti Automobiles

    Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.

    The Bugatti Logo
    Type	Private Société par actions simplifiée
    Industry	Automobile manufacturing Automobile distribution
    Fate	purchased by Volkswagen AG (July, 1998)
    Predecessor	Automobiles Ettore Bugatti
    Founded	July 1998
    Headquarters	Molsheim, France
    Area served	Worldwide – not Australia
    Key people	Wolfgang Dürheimer (President)
    Products	Veyron 16.4
    Production output	38 vehicles (2011) 40 vehicles (2010)
    Number of employees	73
    Parent	Volkswagen AG
    Subsidiaries	Bugatti Engineering GmbH Bugatti International S.A.
    Website	bugatti.com

    Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. is a French high-performance luxury automobiles manufacturer and a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with its head office and assembly plant in Molsheim, Alsace, France. Volkswagen purchased the Bugatti trademark in June 1998 and incorporated Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. in 1999.

    Bugatti presented several concept cars between 1998 and 2000 before commencing development of its first production model, the Veyron 16.4, delivering the first Veyron to a customer in 2005.

    History

    At the urging of then-chairman Ferdinand Piëch, Volkswagen purchased the rights to produce cars under the Bugattimarque in June, 1998. This followed the earlier Volkswagen purchases of the Lamborghini marque (by VW’s Audi subsidiary), the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, United Kingdom, and the Bentley marque.

    On 22 December 2000, Volkswagen officially incorporated Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., with former VW drivetrain chief Karl-Heinz Neumann as president. The company purchased the 1856 Château Saint Jean, formerly Ettore Bugatti‘s guest house in Dorlisheim, near Molsheim, and began refurbishing it to serve as the company’s headquarters. The original factory was still in the hands of Snecma, who were unwilling to part with it. At thePebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2000, VW announced that they would instead build a new modern atelier (factory) next to and south of the Château. The atelier was officially inaugurated on 3 September 2005.

    Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen AG

    Early concept cars

    Italdesign Giugiaro designs

    Volkswagen commissioned Italdesign‘s Giorgetto Giugiaro to design a series of concept cars to return the marque to prominence. The first example, the EB 118, was a two-door coupé and was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 1998. It was followed by the four-door EB 218 touring sedan, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999. Later that year, the 18/3 Chiron was shown at the IAA in Frankfurt.

    Volkswagen designs

    Volkswagen designed the final Bugatti concept, the EB 18/4GT in house. Bugatti introduced the EB 18/4 at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show.

    W18 Engine

    All of these early concepts featured a 555 PS (408 kW; 547 hp) 18-cylinder engine. This was the first-ever W-configuration engine on a passenger vehicle, with three blocks of 6 cylinders each. It shared many components with Volkswagen’s modular engine family.

    Production cars

    Veyron 16.4

    Main article: Bugatti Veyron

    

    2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

    Development of this vehicle began with the 1999 EB 18/4 “Veyron” concept car, which itself had a chassis based on that of the Bugatti 18/3 Chiron concept car. It was similar in design and appearance to the final Veyron production car. One major difference was the EB 18/4’s use of a W18 engine with three banks of six cylinders. The Veyron’s chief designer was Hartmut Warkuss, and the exterior was designed by Jozef Kabaň of Volkswagen, rather than Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, who had handled the three prior Bugatti concepts.

    The then – Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piëch announced the Veyron at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show. It was promised to be the fastest, most powerful and most expensive car in history. Instead of the W18, it would use a VR6/WR8-style W16 engine. First seen in the 1999 Bentley Hunaudières concept car, the W16 would have four turbochargers and produce a quoted (metric) 1001 horsepower (see engine section for details on the power output). Top speed was promised at 407 km/h (253 mph), and the price was announced at €1 million.

    Development continued throughout 2001 and the EB 16/4 Veyron was promoted to “advanced concept” status. In late 2001, Bugatti announced that the car, officially called the “Bugatti Veyron 16.4”, would go into production in 2003. Taking great pride in the making of the Veyron, the production plant (where cars are also ordered) is affectionately called the “Atelier” (artists’ workroom).

    Piëch retired that year as chairman of the Volkswagen Group and was replaced by Bernd Pischetsrieder. The new chairman promptly sent the Veyron back to the drawing board for major revisions. Neumann was replaced as Bugatti president by Thomas Bscher in December 2003, and substantial modifications were made to the Veyron under the guidance of a former VW engineer, Bugatti Engineering chief Wolfgang Schreiber.

    The Veyron costs €1,100,000 (net price without taxes); prices vary by exchange rates and local taxes (like value added taxes). Prices for the UK or the US are over £880,000, or around $1,400,000. It was noted in an April issue of Live magazine (weekly men’s magazine with The Sunday Times) that customers are free to order additional extras which can push the price up by the cost of a Rolls Royce Phantom. During an episode of Top Gear, the car was compared to the Concorde as a feat of technology.

    16C Galibier

    Main article: Bugatti 16C Galibier

    The 16C Galibier was first unveiled during Celebration of the Centenary of the Marque in Molsheim. The presentation was only for Bugatti customers. The car show in Molsheim showed the car in blue carbon fibre and aluminum parts. One year later Bugatti showed the world the 16C Galibier Concept at “VW Group Night” at the Geneva Auto Show in a new black and aluminum color combination.

    The Galibier, a 1000 HP sedan, was first shown as a concept in 2010 and when they planned to put it into production in 2015, It would have cost about $1.4 million. It would use the same 16-cylinder 8.0-litre engine as the Veyron but instead of four turbos, the 16C Galibier would instead use two superchargers to deliver better torque. Production would require new facilities in Molsheim, France, to be refitted, which pushed back potential deliveries until 2015.

    In 2013 it was announced that the car will never be produced as they wish to focus on a Veyron replacement.

    Citations

    1. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c} Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 68.
    2. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c} Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 50.
    3. Jump up^ Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 103.
    4. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} Volkswagen AG 2012, p. 19.
    5. Jump up^ BBC 2013.
    6. Jump up^ Cremer 2011.

    References

    • “Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Facts and Figures 2012” (PDF). volkswagenag.com. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. 2012-06-11. 1058.809.453.20. Archived from the original on 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
    • Cremer, Andreas (2011-03-31). “Bugatti Said to Get Backing for $1.4 Million Galibier Supercar”. Bloomberg Business Week (New York City, New York: BLOOMBERG L.P). ISSN 0007-7135. Archived from the original on 2012-08-11. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
    • “BBC Two – Top Gear, Series 7, Episode 5”. BBC. 2005-12-11. Retrieved 2013-05-28.

    Bugatti Veyron

    Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4
    Bugatti Veyron 16.4 in Düsseldorf, Germany
    Overview
    Manufacturer	Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
    Production	2005–2011 (Veyron 16.4) 2009–2015 (Grand Sport) 2010–2011 (Super Sport) 2011–2015 (Grand Sport Vitesse)
    Assembly	Molsheim, Alsace, France
    Designer	Jozef Kabaň
    Body and chassis
    Class	Supercar Grand tourer
    Body style	2-door coupé (16.4, Super Sport) 2-door targa top (Grand Sport, Grand Sport Vitesse)
    Layout	Longitudinalmid-engine, permanent all wheel drive
    Powertrain
    Engine	Standard (Coupe), Grand Sport (Roadster): 8.0 L (488 cu in) W16 quad-turbocharged 1,014 PS (746 kW; 1,000 bhp) Super Sport (Coupe), Grand Sport Vitesse (Roadster): 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 bhp)
    Transmission	7-speed DSGautomatic transmission
    Dimensions
    Wheelbase	2,710 mm (106.7 in)
    Length	4,462 mm (175.7 in)
    Width	1,998 mm (78.7 in)
    Height	1,159 mm (45.6 in)
    Kerb weight	1,888 kg (4,162 lb)
    Chronology
    Predecessor	Bugatti EB110
    Successor	Bugatti Chiron (2016)

    The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 was a mid-engined sports car, designed and developed in Germany by the Volkswagen Group and manufactured in Molsheim, France, by Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.

    The original version had a top speed of 407 km/h (253 mph). It was named Car of the Decade and best car award (2000–2009) by the BBC television programme Top Gear. The standard Bugatti Veyron also wonTop Gear’s Best Car Driven All Year award in 2005.

    The current Super Sport version of the Veyron is recognised by Guinness World Records as the fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of 430.9 km/h (267.7 mph), and the roadster Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse version is the fastest roadster in the world, reaching an averaged top speed of 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph) in a test on 6 April 2013.

    The Veyron’s chief designer was Hartmut Warkuss, and the exterior was designed by Jozef Kabaň of Volkswagen, with much of the engineering work being conducted under the guidance of engineering chief Wolfgang Schreiber.

    Several special variants have been produced. In December 2010, Bugatti began offering prospective buyers the ability to customise exterior and interiors colours by using the Veyron 16.4 Configurator application on the marque’s official website. The Bugatti Veyron was discontinued in late 2014.

    Origins

    In 1998, the Volkswagen Group purchased the trademark rights on the former car manufacturer Bugatti in order to revive the brand. Starting with the Bugatti EB118, they presented at various international auto shows a total of four 18-cylinder concept cars. At the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show, the first study of the Veyron was presented. At the time, the name of the concept car was “Bugatti Veyron EB 18.4,” and it was equipped with a 3-bank W18 engine instead of the 2-bank W16 engine of the production version. While the three previous prototypes had been styled by Giugiaro, the Veyron was designed by the Volkswagen stylists.

    The decision to start production of the car was taken by the Volkswagen Group in 2001. The first roadworthy prototype was completed in August 2003. It is identical to the later series variant except for a few details. In the transition from development to series production considerable technical problems had to be addressed, repeatedly delaying production until September 2005.

    The Veyron EB 16.4 is named in honour of Pierre Veyron, a Bugatti development engineer, test driver and company race driver who, with co-driver Jean-Pierre Wimille, won the 1939 24 hours of Le Mans while driving a Bugatti. The “EB” refers to Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti and the “16.4” refers to the engine’s 16 cylinders and 4 turbochargers.

    World record controversy

    A controversy developed in 2013 over the Veyron Super Sport’s status as the world’s fastest production car, ultimately resolved in the Veyron’s favour.

    In early April 2013, driving.co.uk (also known as Sunday Times Driving) began an investigation following claims from US car maker Hennessey that its 928 kW (1,244 bhp) Hennessey Venom GT was entitled to the Guinness World Record. With a recorded speed of 427.6 km/h (265.7 mph) the Hennessey was 3.4 km/h (2.1 mph) slower than the Veyron but Hennessey dismissed Bugatti’s official record saying that the Veyron Super Sport was restricted to 415 km/h (258 mph) in production form and that for it to achieve its record top speed of 431.0 km/h (267.8 mph), the car used was in a state of tune not available to customers. Hennessey said its Venom GT was road-ready and unmodified and was therefore a production car in the strict sense of the term.

    Driving.co.uk requested clarification from Guinness World Records, which investigated this claim and found that the modification was against the official guidelines of the record. Upon finding this, Guinness World Records voided the Super Sport’s record and announced it was “reviewing this category with expert external consultants to ensure our records fairly reflect achievements in this field.”

    After further review, Shelby SuperCars, the producers of the Ultimate Aero TT, said that they had reclaimed the record, however Guinness reinstated the Super Sport’s record after coming to the conclusion that “a change to the speed limiter does not alter the fundamental design of the car or its engine.”

    Bugatti Veyron (2005–2011)

    Specifications and performance

    

    The Veyron’s quad-turbocharged W16 engine

    The Veyron features an 8.0-litre, quad-turbocharged, W16 cylinder engine, equivalent to two narrow-angle V8 engines bolted together. Each cylinder has four valves for a total of 64, but the VR8 configuration of each bank allows two overhead camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only four camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers and displaces 7,993 cubic centimetres (487.8 cu in), with a square 86 by 86 mm (3.39 by 3.39 in) bore and stroke.

    

    First U.S. Bugatti Veyron on display in April 2006

    The transmission is a dual-clutch direct-shift gearbox computer-controlled automatic with seven gear ratios, with magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel and a shift time of less than 150 milliseconds, built by Ricardo of England rather than Borg-Warner, who designed the six speed DSG used in the mainstream Volkswagen Group marques. The Veyron can be driven in either semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. A replacement transmission for the Veyron costs just over US$120,000. It also has permanent all-wheel drive using the Haldex Traction system. It uses special MichelinPAXrun-flat tyres, designed specifically to accommodate the Veyron’s top speed, and cost US$25,000 per set. The tyres can be mounted on the rims only in France, a service which costs US$70,000. Kerb weight is 1,888 kilograms (4,162 lb). This gives the car a power-to-weight ratio, according to Volkswagen Group’s figures, of 530 PS (390 kW; 523 bhp) per ton.

    The car’s wheelbase is 2,710 mm (106.7 in). Overall length is 4,462 mm (175.7 in) which gives 1,752.6 mm (69.0 in) of overhang. The width is 1,998 mm (78.7 in) and height 1,204 mm (47.4 in). The Bugatti Veyron has a total of ten radiators:

    • 3 heat exchangers for the air-to-liquid intercoolers.
    • 3 engine radiators.
    • 1 for the air conditioning system.
    • 1 transmission oil radiator.
    • 1 differential oil radiator.
    • 1 engine oil radiator

    It has a drag coefficient of Cd=0.41 (normal condition) and Cd=0.36 (after lowering to the ground), and a frontal area of 2.07 m² (22.3 sq ft). This gives it a drag area, the product of drag coefficient and frontal area, of CdA=0.74 m² (8.0 sq ft).

    Engine output

    According to Volkswagen Group and certified by TÜV Süddeutschland, the final production Veyron engine produces 1,001 metric horsepower (736 kW; 987 bhp) of motivepower, and generates 1,250 newton metres (922 lbf·ft) of torque. The nominal figure has been stated by Bugatti officials to be conservative, with the real total being 1,020 metric horsepower (750 kW; 1,006 bhp) at 6,000 rpm.

    Top speed

    German inspection officials recorded an average top speed of the original version of 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph) during test sessions on Volkswagen Group’s private Ehra-Lessien test track on 19 April 2005.

    This top speed was equalled by James May on Top Gear in November 2006, at the Ehra-Lessien test track. May noted that at top speed the engine consumes 45,000 litres (9,900 imp gal) of air per minute (as much as a human breathes in four days). Back in theTop Gear studio, co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson commented that most supercars felt like they were shaking apart at their top speed, and asked May if that was the case with the Veyron at 407 km/h (253 mph). May responded that the Veyron was very controlled, and only wobbled slightly when the air brake deployed.

    The car’s everyday top speed is listed at 343 km/h (213 mph). When the car reaches 220 km/h (140 mph), hydraulics lower the car until it has a ground clearance of about 9 cm (3.5 in). At the same time, the wing and spoiler deploy. In this handling mode, the wing provides 3,425 newtons (770 lbf) of downforce, holding the car to the road.

    Top speed mode must be entered while the vehicle is at rest. Its driver must toggle a special top speed key to the left of their seat, which triggers a checklist to establish whether the car and its driver are ready to attempt to reach 407 km/h (253 mph). If so, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers shut, and normal 12.5 cm (4.9 in) ground clearance drops to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).

    Braking

    The Veyron’s brakes use cross drilled, radially vented carbon fibre reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) composite discs, manufactured by SGL Carbon, which have a much greater resistance to brake fade when compared with conventional cast iron discs.The lightweight aluminium alloy monobloc brake calipers are made by AP Racing; the fronts have eight titanium pistons and the rear calipers have six pistons. Bugatti claims maximum deceleration of 1.3 g on road tyres. As an added safety feature, in the event of brake failure, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) has also been installed on the handbrake.

    Prototypes have been subjected to repeated 1.0 g braking from 312 km/h (194 mph) to 80 km/h (50 mph) without fade. With the car’s acceleration from 80 km/h (50 mph) to 312 km/h (194 mph), that test can be performed every 22 seconds. At speeds above 200 km/h (120 mph), the rear wing also acts as an airbrake, snapping to a 55° angle in 0.4 seconds once brakes are applied, providing an additional 0.68 g (6.66 m/s²) of deceleration (equivalent to the stopping power of an ordinary hatchback). Bugatti claims the Veyron will brake from 400 km/h (250 mph) to a standstill in less than 10 seconds, though distance covered in this time will be half a kilometre (third of a mile).

    Specifications

    Basic Specifications
    Layout and body style	Mid-engine, four-wheel drive, two-doorcoupé/targa top	Base price	€1,225,000 (£1,065,000/US$1,700,000) Super Sport: €1,912,500 (£1,665,000/US$2,700,000)
    Internal combustion engine	8.0 litre W16, 64v 2xDOHC quad-turbochargedpetrol engine	Engine displacement and max. power	7,993 cc (487.8 cu in) 1,014.9 metric horsepower (746 kW; 1,001 bhp) Super Sport: 1,200 metric horsepower (883 kW; 1,184 bhp)

    Performance
    Top speed	408.47 km/h (253.81 mph) (average) Super Sport: 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph) (average)
    0–100 km/h (0.0–62.1 mph)	2.46 seconds	0–240 km/h (0.0–149.1 mph)	9.8 seconds
    0–300 km/h (0.0–186.4 mph)	16.7 seconds Super Sport: 14.6 seconds[	0–400 km/h (0.0–248.5 mph)	55 seconds
    Standing quarter-mile (402 m)		10.2 seconds (standard)
    Braking		31.4 m (from 100 km/h to 0)

    Fuel economy
    EPA city driving	8 miles per U.S. gallon (29 L/100 km; 9.6 mpg-imp)	EPA highway driving	14 miles per U.S. gallon (17 L/100 km; 17 mpg-imp)
    Top speed fuel economy		3 miles per U.S. gallon (78 L/100 km; 3.6 mpg-imp), or 1.4 U.S. gal (5.3 L; 1.2 imp gal) per minute

    Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport (2009–2015)

    The targa top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport version of the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 was unveiled at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It has extensive reinforcements to compensate for the lack of a standard roof, and small changes to the windshield and running lights. Two removable tops are included, the second a temporary arrangement fashioned after an umbrella. The top speed with the hardtop in place is the same as the standard coupé version, but with the roof down is limited to 369 km/h (229 mph)—and to 130 km/h (81 mph) with the temporary soft roof. The Gran Sport edition was limited to 150 units, with the first 50 going exclusively to registered Bugatti customers. Production began in the second quarter of 2009, with the car priced at €1.4 million (excluding taxes and delivery).

    A version was introduced at the Qatar Motor Show 2012 with a horizontal colour split with a bright yellow body framed in visible black carbon (including black-tinted wheels), seats in yellow-coloured leather upholstery with black stitching, middle console in black carbon, dashboard, steering wheel and gearshift made of black leather with yellow stitching. It was priced at €1.58 million.

    	Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport MENU 0:00 Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang MENU 0:00
    Problems playing these files? See media help.

    Special versions

    Sang Bleu (2010)

    The Sang Bleu is blue carbon-fibre, with polished aluminium wheels inspired by the Grand Sport Roadster, highlighted in a Midnight Blue and Diamond Cut two-tone finish.

    Side view Interior Rear end Front

    Soleil de Nuit (2010)

    The Soleil de Nuit was first shown at the 2009 Dubai Motor Show. It combines polished aluminium accents with metallic blue/black paint. It also features a burnt orange interior. It was sold for US$2.27 million.

    Grey Carbon (2010)

    The Grey Carbon was first shown to the public at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The exterior features exposed carbon-fibre with metallic dark grey aluminum body panels, and lower portion in polished aluminium. Only one Grand Sport Grey Carbon edition was made.

    Royal Dark Blue (2010)

    The Royal Dark Blue was shown alongside the Grey Carbon at Geneva 2010. It features a carbonfibre monocoque and the bonnet and rear section finished in Royal Dark Blue, hence the name. The rest of the car is painted Arctic White. It sold for €1.75 million.

    Sang Blanc (2010)

    The Sang Blanc was designed at the request of a client from the UK. It is finished in a matte pearlescent white with black front grille, exhaust and engine cover, as well as a black interior. In 2011, the Sang Blanc was sold with 448 miles on the odometer for£1.25 million.

    Matte White (2011)

    The Matte White was first shown at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show. It features a matte white paint finish, with the lower section of the car finished in blue carbon fibre. The interior is also blue. It was sold soon after it was put on display.

    L’Or Blanc (2011)

    The one-off Veyron “L’Or Blanc” (“white gold”) uses porcelain produced by Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur to distinguish its body and interior with a blue and white pattern.

    Red Edition (2011)

    The Red Edition was shown at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, with a red body, interior and wheels. It is thought Bugatti brought this car to Frankfurt to speed up purchases of the Grand Sport, as the sales figure was disappointingly low.

    Middle East Editions (2011)

    Three different ‘Middle East Edition’ cars were shown at the 2011 Dubai Motor Show. The first car combines a bright yellow exterior and interior with black carbon fibre inserts and black wheels. The second has a blue carbon framed exterior with polished aluminium and an orange interior. The final edition features a green carbon finish, once again framed with polished aluminium. The yellow model sold for €1.58 million, while the other two were sold for €1.74 million.

    Wei Long (2012)

    The Wei Long was first shown at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, built to honor the Chinese year of the Dragon. As in the case of the Veyron L’Or Blanc, Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur provided several porcelain motifs. Most of the pieces depict a dragon and are featured on the body and in the cabin. The car has a pearl white exterior with contrasting carmine red interior and dragons in various places. It was sold for €1.58 million.

    Bernar Venet (2012)

    The Barnar Venet edition is the result of a 2012 invitation from Bugatti to artist Bernar Venet to create an artwork to be applied to a Veyron Grand Sport. The finished work, described as “the fastest artwork ever”, features an interpretation of Venet’s trademark mathematical equations and was revealed at the Rubell Family Collection in Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach.

    Chassis 001

    The chassis 001 of the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport was sold at the 58th annual Pebble Beach Auction presented by Gooding & Company for US$2.9 million (US$3.19 million after buy premium), benefiting the Pebble Beach Company Foundation.

    Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, World Record Edition (2010–2011)

    

    A Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition – the fastest road legal production car reaching 431 km/h (268 mph)

    The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is a faster, more powerful version of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Production is limited to 30 units. The Super Sport has increased engine power of 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,200 bhp), a torque of 1,500 N·m (1,100 lbf·ft), and a revised aerodynamic package. The Super Sport has a 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph) top speed, making it the fastest production road car on the market although it is electronically limited to 415 km/h (258 mph) to protect the tyres from disintegrating.

    The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition is a version of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. It is limited to five units. It has an orange body detailing, orange rims,and a special black exposed carbon body. It is not electrically limited to 415 km/h (258 mph) and will hit the record speed of 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph).

    The vehicle was unveiled in 2010 at The Quail, followed by the 2010 Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca, and the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

    The Super Sport is valued at £1.2 million.

    Special versions

    Sang Noir (2011)

    The Sang Noir was introduced as a show car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show for customers who did not like the look of the ‘World Record Edition’. It is finished entirely in black, except for the interior, which is bright tangerine orange. The car costs a very highUS$3.4 million, US$1 million more than a standard Super Sport.

    Motorsports

    On 4 July 2010 James May, a television presenter on BBC Two‘s television show Top Gear, drove the Veyron Super Sport at 417.61 km/h (259.49 mph). Later that day, Bugatti’s official test driver Pierre Henri Raphanel drove the Super Sport version of the Veyron on Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien (near Wolfsburg, Germany) high-speed test track to establish the car’s top speed. With representatives of the Guinness Book of Records and German Technical Inspection Agency (TÜV) on hand, Raphanel made passes around the big oval in both directions achieving an average maximum speed of 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph), thus taking back the title from the SSC Ultimate Aero TT as the fastest production vehicle of all time. The 431.072 km/h mark was reached by averaging the Super Sport’s two test runs, the first reaching 427.93 km/h (265.90 mph) and the second 434.20 km/h (269.80 mph).

    On 9 April 2013 the Title of “Fastest Production Car in the World” was revoked due to the deactivation of the electronic speed limiter which makes the car non stock, going against the rules of the title. Later, Bugatti’s speed record has been restored. “Following a thorough review conducted with a number of external experts, Guinness World Records is pleased to announce the confirmation of Bugatti’s record of Fastest production car achieved by the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. The focus of the review was with respect to what may constitute a modification to a car’s standard specification. Having evaluated all the necessary information, Guinness World Records is now satisfied that a change to the speed limiter does not alter the fundamental design of the car or its engine.”

    Grand Sport Vitesse (2011-2015)

    

    Grand Sport Vitesse side view

    Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is a version of the Grand Sport with a Super Sport engine. It produces a maximum output of 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,200 bhp) @ 6,400 rpm and a maximum torque of 1,500 N·m (1,100 lb·ft) @ 3,000-5,000 rpm. These figures allow the car to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standing in 2.6 seconds. On normal roads, the Vitesse is electronically limited to 375 km/h (233 mph).

    The vehicle was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and later appeared at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show and the São Paulo Motor Show 2012.

    Base price of the Vitesse costs €1.69 million (without tax and transportation), with the 2012 Geneva Motor Show car costs €1.79 million, São Paulo Motor Show 2012 car costs €1.9 million.

    Special editions

    

    Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse ‘Le Ciel Californien’ in Tampere,Finland

    A number of special editions of the Vitesse were made. The Vitesse SE, inspired by Bugatti Type 37A, was unveiled in 2012 and sold for €1.74 million (US$2.2 million). The World Record Car (WRC) Edition was limited to 8 units, debuted in 2013, and went on sale for €1.99 million.

    In 2013, Bugatti produced a series of Vitesses dedicated to racing legends, including Jean-Pierre WimilleJean Bugatti, and Meo Costantini. and Ettore Bugatti.

    Motorsports

    A Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse driven by the Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu at Volkswagen Group’s proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien became the fastest open-top production sports car, with speed of 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph). The vehicle was unveiled in Shanghai Motor Show 2013.

    After the world record attempt, Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S, said “When we introduced the Vitesse, we established the top speed for open-top driving to be 375 km/h. Still, we could not let go of the idea of reaching the 400 km/h mark with this car as well. The fact that we have succeeded in reaching 408.84 km/h is a thrill for me, and it reaffirms once again that Bugatti is the leader when it comes to technology in the international automotive industry.” The driver, Anthony Liu, claimed “Even at such high speeds it remained incredibly comfortable and stable. With an open top, you can really experience the sound of the engine and yet even at higher speeds I did not get compromised by the wind at all.”

    Production

    As of 6 August 2014, 405 Veyrons have been produced and delivered to customers worldwide, with orders have already been placed for another 30. Bugatti was reported to produce 300 coupes and 150 roadsters up to the end of 2015.

    Future development

    In 2008, Bugatti then-CEO Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen confirmed that the Veyron would be replaced by another high-end model by 2012. In 2011, the new CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer revealed that the company was planning to produce two models in the future — one a sports car-successor to the Veyron, the other a limousine known as the Bugatti 16C Galibier. Originally the new model due in 2016 was meant to be no faster or more powerful than the Super Sport. This was later changed after a more faster and more powerful in-game counterpart of the Super Sport appeared in Gran Turismo 6, known as the Bugatti Vision. It later debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015.

    See related: Bugatti 16C Galibier

    Last Production

    Only 450 Bugatti Veyrons were made over the decade and the last production vehicle (Bugatti Veyron laFinale) was displayed at the Geneva Motor Show 05-15 March 2015.

    Bugatti history by

    Old Top Gear – Bugatti Special

    This was recorded in 1995, when Chris Goffey accompanied some classic Bugattis around Italy.
    He also takes time to visit the Bugatti factory to road test the EB110 Supersport and to talk to some owners at the Prescott hillclimb.

    Pictures:

    From now my complete collection off Bugatti vehicles: