Just like the last time, when we drove the Bugatti Veyron, it began with an e-mail from Bugatti's PR firm: "Give me a call when you have a moment." And then, again, just like the last time, there came the question: "We have a Grand Sport. Can you do something with it?" Let. Me. See.
And that's how we ended up spending a day with the roofless Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport on a reference-resetting trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back. Although you'll read many words after the jump to describe it, we really only need one word, and we'd draw it out in the same kind of smiling stupor we get when the dentist pumps us full of happy gas: "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh...."
The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport is a violent, taunting, confounding and punctiliously engineered maelstrom. It is a handmade wonder built in a castle, and yet resembles a slightly squashed jelly bean. It has a $30,000 stereo, but it's too much work to actually listen to it. The 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine with 1,001 horsepower and 922 lb-ft of torque is programmed not to let you damage it, but in just one afternoon, the leather-trimmed coachwork on the doors will be a mess of shoe marks. The car's brake rotors are chaperoned by 28 brake pistons, but using them forcefully is like begging someone to plow into the aforementioned engine. The car will cost you €1.6 million (roughly $2.24M USD), for which you get, as a soft top, an umbrella. That's right, an umbrella. Own it and you'll be master of the quickest accelerating production car in the world, and yet you'll probably never remember what that acceleration is like.
First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is a temple of Zen
First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is a temple of Zen
Just like the last time, when we drove the Bugatti Veyron, it began with an e-mail from Bugatti's PR firm: "Give me a call when you have a moment." And then, again, just like the last time, there came the question: "We have a Grand Sport. Can you do something with it?" Let. Me. See.
And that's how we ended up spending a day with the roofless Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport on a reference-resetting trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back. Although you'll read many words after the jump to describe it, we really only need one word, and we'd draw it out in the same kind of smiling stupor we get when the dentist pumps us full of happy gas: "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh...."
The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport is a violent, taunting, confounding and punctiliously engineered maelstrom. It is a handmade wonder built in a castle, and yet resembles a slightly squashed jelly bean. It has a $30,000 stereo, but it's too much work to actually listen to it. The 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine with 1,001 horsepower and 922 lb-ft of torque is programmed not to let you damage it, but in just one afternoon, the leather-trimmed coachwork on the doors will be a mess of shoe marks. The car's brake rotors are chaperoned by 28 brake pistons, but using them forcefully is like begging someone to plow into the aforementioned engine. The car will cost you €1.6 million (roughly $2.24M USD), for which you get, as a soft top, an umbrella. That's right, an umbrella. Own it and you'll be master of the quickest accelerating production car in the world, and yet you'll probably never remember what that acceleration is like.
First Drive: Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport
It's the noise. I got into the new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport feeling pretty cynical, wondering how Bugatti could possibly justify charging $280,000 on top of the Veyron coupe's eye-watering $1.7 million -- plus local taxes and delivery -- for a convertible with less than half the stiffness of the closed-cockpit car, weighing 224 pounds more and a couple tenths slower to 60 mph. Afterthought open tops like this are always worse, right? Floppy, pointless and purely for poseurs?
And then I pressed the starter button. One of the many astonishing things about the Bugatti Veyron is the way it takes such an extreme power output -- way in excess of a modern Formula 1 car -- and puts it into a docile, driveable, reliable package. But you don't realize just how well-insulated the coupe is until you start the Grand Sport with the roof off. The driveline is unchanged, but now at standstill and at low speeds you hear from behind you the constant mechanical hum of that open-air engine's 16 cylinders and 64 valves spinning, by some miracle, in perfect synchronicity. Even at low speeds -- town speeds, under 30 mph -- the hum is punctuated by a loud, fierce hissing from the wastegates of the four turbochargers every time you ease the pressure on the throttle. You might think you're a purist, and prefer the uncorrupted induction and exhaust note of a naturally aspirated engine, but I defy you not to love this noise and not to sacrifice the smooth progress the Grand Sport is perfectly capable of making in favor of a little gentle, deliberate kangarooing to get the engine sounding like a riled cobra.
Geneva Motor Show 2009: Bleu who? Mansory Linea Vincero more our style
The Bleu Centenaire wasn't the only limited edition Veyron on the floor at the Geneva Motor Show. While Bugatti has created a wide array of individualization programs for its supercar, German tuner Mansory saw fit to create its own and displayed a revised version of the Veyron dubbed the Linea Vincero. We got our first look at the car back in December when it was mysteriously pictured on a dealer web site, but with its official unveiling we now have full details from Mansory. Exterior modifications are relatively subtle and include a new front fascia, shorter hood, LED daytime running lights, side skirts, a diffuser, larger side and rear air outlets and new forged wheels. The interior features carbon fiber accents, special leather seating and trim and an ambient lighting system utilizing LEDs. Unlike the other Veyron models, the Vincero comes with a power upgrade, up to 1109 bhp and 967 lb-ft torque, thanks to an upgraded cooling system and exhaust system. With a total of three planned for production, the Linea Vincero could very well be one of the more popular color combinations out there.
"Vincerò! Vincerò! ¬– I will win", that is the self-confident exclamation from Nessun Dorma, probably the most famous tenor aria from Giacomo Puccini´s opera Turandot. And Vincerò is also the name of the latest automobile accessory line by refining specialist Mansory. Mansory already finds many parallels for the new name: The plot of the aria stems from a Persian tale of 1001 days which also relates to the standard motorisation of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 with 1,001 hp. On the other hand, it should also refer to the origin of Kourosh Mansory, the founder and CEO of Mansory Corporation. And the opera has another reference to the offered product portfolio by ending after three acts. The LINEA Vincerò edition is also not infinite – the project is strictly limited.
It goes without saying that such a sonorous name is only suitable for an absolutely high-quality programme. Already the Bugatti Veyron serial edition sets standards in terms of price, maximum speed and engine power and leaves its competitors far behind when a contender for the super sports car is to be crowned. Whoever now thinks that everything possible has been achieved, can be proved wrong. Already visually, the changes clearly show. The front part gets a comprehensive face-lift including modified wings, a shorter hood and a striking front apron. The LED daytime running lights integrated in the front mount and the implemented stylised "V" as a special tribute to the name "Vincerò" draw even more attention to the car. The newly developed side skirts are the visual and aerodynamic connection between the axles. Larger air outlets at the sides and at the back render optimal engine cooling and in combination with the new diffuser, they underline the powerful car design. Mansory manufactures nearly all auto body parts from ultra-light and high-strength carbon. The applied hardening technique with strong pressure and high temperatures in the autoclave thereby enormously improve the material quality.
In order to perfect the entire visual appearance, Mansory devised new, striking fully-forged turbine-design wheels for the Linea Vincerò in serial dimensions.
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Also, the power engine is refined by Mansory. Technical innovation is combined with technical expertise and thereby, an increased cooling air supply and optimised exhaust system produce an unbelievable 1109 hp and 1310 Nm.
The interior is exclusive and yet functional. Also here, Mansory understands how luxury and technology can be harmonically combined. When traditional craftsmanship, selected materials and stylish design merge, the result is an interior of automobile excellence.
This mainly shows by the LED lights of the new Ambiente-Illumination-System which are fitted in the seats, door linings and the dashboard. The entire passenger compartment glows in a soft light which does not only render a comfortable feeling, but also emphasises the high-quality carbon applications and the especially grained leather. The ergonomically designed airbag steering wheel is both sportive and particularly pliable and is equipped with rocker switches.
The Mansory individualisation programme for the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is offered in a limited edition via the Middle East partner "Prestige Cars Abu Dhabi".
