The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is a work of art – true to the founding spirit of Bugatti. A legendary company founded by a remarkable family. Born in Milan, the patriarch Carlo Bugatti was a famous sculptor and carpenter, whose approach to art was to resurface in he generations to come. His first-born son, Ettore, founded the company that bears the  family name. At the new headquarters in the Château St. Jean in Alsace, he invented, Designed and produced an amazing variety of vehicles, all of which displayed uncompromising integrity allied to a simple and logical use of materials. This stylistic purism led him to call his creations pur sang“ or „thoroughbred“.From an early age, Ettore‘s eldest son Jean learned various crafts in his father‘s factory. Considering himself an engineer rather than an artist, Jean influenced the company with his own construction ideas. His designs were increasingly streamlined and aerodynamic, with characteristically elegant, flowing lines –best exemplified in his Type 57 – Atlantic. Ettore‘s masterpiece was the Type 35 sports car, which firmly established the Bugatti reputation as one of the most renowned car constructors. The T 35 was considered a true work of art and also proved to be a commercial success. With more than 2 000 victories over a period of almost 10 years in the 1920s and 30s, the T 35 won more races than any other car to date.

ettore bugatti

Almost a century after its foundation, production of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 also sees the Bugatti marque returning to its roots in Molsheim. In 1909, Ettore Bugatti moved to  Molsheim, where he had secured financing to start manufacturing ten automobiles and five aircraft engines. Over the next three decades, until the outbreak of the Second World War, some 7 900 vehicles left the Atelier in Molsheim. Despite such a relatively small number of cars sold, the Bugatti brand has remained an automobile legend. Inside the   light and generously dimensioned Atelier, inspired by an artist‘s workplace, Bugatti is once again producing works of art with every Veyron built. Since 2003, Molsheim, Chateau St. Jean and the Atelier are at the centre of the renaissance of Bugatti.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 represents the rebirth of this myth. The achievement of developing a car built in series with 1 001 hp and a special double-clutch gearbox to cope with the acceleration was an enormous engineering challenge. One worthy of the Bugattis of the past. Yet Bugatti was always up to the challenge and one step ahead of the field. For example, Ettore was one of the first manufacturers to use aluminium for the chassis and wheels – making the Type 35 lighter than its contemporaries. And today‘s Veyron equally makes use of innovative lightweight components taken from aeronautic design and racing cars. In short, Ettore would have been proud of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4

bugatti veyron 16.4

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 was designed to explore the limits of technical possibilities. The idea was to build a car of extremes. To build a Bugatti. With its 16 cylinders, each of 0.5 litre capacity, four valves per cylinder and a turbocharger per four cylinders, the Veyron houses the world‘s most powerful engine in a series vehicle. The perfect combination of the high performance power unit (1 001 hp) and torque machine (1 250 Nm) makes for an

unrivalled piece of precision technology. With Launch Control for a quick start and Cruise Control to maintain a high speed. The seven-gear, twin-clutch gearbox (DSG) is he first to handle such high torque values. It combines the dynamic advantages of manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic: the next gear is pre-engaged, ready

to take up the propulsion without interruption. Allowing for pure and smooth acceleration with extremely short shift times of less than 150 ms – from 0 to 400 km/h.

Outstanding speed requires special and applied aerodynamics. The standard configuration is sufficient up to 220 km/h. Beyond this point a handling configuration with reduced ground clearance and the wing set at an angle of 15 degrees enables the Veyron to climb up to 375 km/h. Unlocking the top-speed mode with a special key sets the wing to 2 degrees, minimizing downthrust and freeing the Veyron to reach its top performance,

up to 400 km/h and beyond. Further safety at speed is guaranteed by the four-point electronic stability program in the Veyron. At the heart of the stability control system is the four-wheel drive: The Haldex clutch distributes the torque to the front and rear axles as required, while the rear differential lock ensures the dynamics of the rear drive wheels for smooth negotiation of fast curves.

The third control system is the ESP, which acts on each individual wheel with previously unmatched reaction times. ESP also controls engine management via ASR anti-slip control and MSR thrust reduction – increasing or reducing thrust as required. At the centre of such sophistication is a telemetry computer that monitors all vehicle data. This can be called up by the Veyron‘s own PDA, which is also used to enter the destination in the GPS navigation, which in turn is discreetly displayed in the rear-view mirror. The overall result is a minimalist aesthetic – reduced to the essentials. Form and function in perfect harmony.