2006 Bugatti Veyron

Contrary to conventional wisdom — that the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is a supercar with an inconceivable 16.4-liter engine — the designation stands for 16 cylinders and four turbochargers. The actual displacement is 8.0 liters, but the quad-turbo W-16 still makes an eye-popping 1,001 horsepower and 922 pounds-feet of torque. That puts it considerably beyond other exotic supercars, including the venerable McLaren F1 and Saleen S7.

Bugatti brings the all-wheel-drive Veyron 16.4 to the U.S. for 2006 after a thorough tour overseas. The French automaker, acquired by Volkswagen in 1998, first displayed the vehicle at the Paris Motor Show in 2000.

Deliveries begin in January 2006, but Bugatti will build just 50 to 60 copies of the Veyron 16.4 annually and limit the entire production run to 300 cars. The Veyron 16.4 is priced at approximately $1.21 million.

Exterior
A tall, horseshoe-shaped air dam is the central feature of the Veyron 16.4's nose. Broad vents sit below elongated headlights, from which accent lines sweep upward toward the base of each A-pillar. A low, sloping roof presents an intake duct on each side to sweep air into the mid-mounted engine.

Twelve-spoke wheels wear 265-millimeter-wide tires in front and 365-millimeter-wide tires in back. Michelin developed the tires specifically for the Veyron 16.4 and says the rear ones are the widest mass-produced tires in the world.

The aluminum frame and carbon-fiber passenger structure sit on a suspension with three settings for varying vehicle speeds, each deploying a progression of air diffusers, spoilers and rear wings designed to stick the car to the road regardless of speed.

Interior
Inside, the Veyron 16.4's simple cabin features deeply bolstered leather seats and prominent sections of metal trim. Five instrument portals — including one that indicates available horsepower — are clustered behind a three-spoke metallic steering wheel. A metal-trimmed center stack with audio and climate controls slopes toward the driver. Upscale touches include an analog clock and integrated personal digital assistant.

Under the Hood
The Veyron 16.4's 8.0-liter engine, mounted aft of the cabin, employs four turbochargers and 16 cylinders arranged in a "W"-shaped configuration. At 6,000 rpm the engine reaches its peak 1,001 hp; the maximum 922 pounds-feet of torque is on tap from 2,200 rpm through 5,500 rpm. A seven-speed sequential manual transmission drives all four wheels through a dual-clutch setup; the transmission can shift gears in less than 150 milliseconds.

Bugatti says the Veyron 16.4 can go from zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and reach 125 mph in 7.3 seconds. Top speed is a reported 253 mph.

Safety
The front ceramic brake rotors measure 15.75 inches in diameter, and the rears are 15 inches. The front calipers have eight titanium pistons with ceramic heat shields, while the rear calipers employ six pistons. In hard braking, a rear wing deploys to deliver up to 660 pounds of downforce to the rear wheels. Bugatti says the Veyron 16.4's brakes bring the vehicle to a stop from 250 mph in less than 10 seconds.
source : car