Category: Bugatti

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Bugatti

Bugatti Chiron previewed in gaming fantasy?

Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo

This rather cool looking beast is officially called the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. It’s been created for the virtual world only.

“The Bugatti design team normally works only for the exclusive and very distinguished circle of the brand’s customers,” explained Achim Anscheidt, the head of Bugatti Design. “When the target group suddenly grows from 450 Veyron owners to several million fans, gamers and high performance aficionados, it is a very exciting matter. We had a lot of fun with this project.”

Visually the car draws on the Le Mans winning Bugatti Type 57s from 1937 and 1939 and they go to some pains to point out that while this is a fantasyland creation they wanted it to be connected to reality. Indeed, the press release below states, “the virtual race car was developed in close cooperation with the Bugatti engineers and is based on cutting-edge racing technology and precise aerodynamic analyses.”

So let’s add to the speculation and say this is pretty much a concept car for the Chiron, the car tasked with replacing the iconic Veyron. Further adding to that theory is the fact Bugatti will rock up to the Frankfurt Motor Show with a 1:1 scale model of the Vision Gran Turismo.

Of course any such road car, predicted to cost €2.2 million (AU$3.5 million), won’t feature all of the garish wings and aero adornments for racing, but perhaps we’re being prepared for a very much Veyron-inspired evolutionary design.

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Bugatti Video

Who knew rhubarb and custard drove so well?!

Bugatti EB110 SS

When I was a young lad my lovely grandmother introduced me to the delights of rhubarb and custard. And now, some decades later, Chris Harris has given me a whole new appreciation.

I always thought the Bugatti EB110 was a bit fugly and so it never really resonated with me; I was too busy going gaga over F40s and McLaren F1s.

Turns out I might have missed a pretty special boat. But at least I’ll always have my granny’s dessert.

Continue reading “Who knew rhubarb and custard drove so well?!”
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Bugatti

2016 Bugatti Chiron rendered

2016 Bugatti Chiron rendering

While I was driving around Germany in April Car magazine published this rendering of the new Bugatti Chiron. It will be the replacement for the iconic Veyron.

What can we expect from the Mk2 Veyron? Let’s start with a reworked version of the 16-cylinder engine found in the old car. Power is expected to peak at a mammoth 1500hp (1100kW), matched by a staggering 1500Nm of torque. There’s also rumours of some electric hybrid gubbins featuring to help achieve that eye-watering headline power figure.

The Chiron’s v-max is predicted top out at licence-wrecking 463km/h (288mph) and the increasingly irrelevant 0–100km/h sprint will be all over in just 2.0 seconds.

Oh mama!

Maybe the Veyron I saw lapping the Nürburgring during an Industry Pool session (pictured below) was a precursor to the Chiron?

[Source: Car]

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Bugatti

Louis Chiron to inspire Veyron replacement

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse

As the all-conquering Bugatti Veyron begins to drive off into the distance word has come through that its replacement will be called the Chiron.

According to the Bugatti website, Louis Chiron helped forge the company’s strong racing heritage, as well as being a bit of a player:

Women had always been responsible for the most significant developments in Chiron’s life, and in fact his success with the fairer sex can be directly attributed to a woman – a Russian noblewoman who financed his private school education, music lessons, and courses in etiquette, thus providing the necessary training for him to become a true lady’s man.

Fortunately for Bugatti, Chiron was also able to score on the podium, as well as the dance floor:

Chiron won his first races with Bugatti’s Type Brescia, Type 30 and later the Type 35 and Type 35 B – all courtesy of the unwitting Hoffmann. Early highlights of his career were victories in the 1926 Grand Prix of Comminges and the 1927 Grand Prix of France as well as his fourth place that same year in the Grand Prix of Europe at Brooklands, England. In 1928, Chiron joined the Bugatti company team and continued his winning streak in Rome, Reims, San Sebastian, and in the Grand Prix of Europe at Monza.

For more details about what we can expect form the Chiron, predicted to boast 1100kW, read our previous update from last month.

[Source: Car & Driver]

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Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron successor too fast to test?

Bugatti Veyron Mk2 rendering

According to new information from Autocar the successor to the almighty Bugatti Veyron could be so fast it could be almost impossible to test its full potential.

The Mk2 Veyron—it’s actual name is not known at this stage—is expected to be powered by a hybrid powertrain. The heavy lifting will be done by a derivative of the current Veyron’s 8.0 litre W16 engine, with extra spice added by an electric motor mounted in the housing of the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Peak power could be as high as 1479hp (1100kW), that’s a staggering 300hp more than the Veyron Super Sport. Torque could be capped at 1100ft-lb (1491Nm) in order to preserve the transmission. Put all that together and the Super Sport’s 2.5 second 0-100km/h record could be broken, with 2.3 seconds the suggested target.

Which brings us to guesses about the Mk2 Veyron’s top speed. The current best for a Veyron is 268mph (431km/h), which was controversially set by the Super Sport. An increased use of lightweight materials is hoped to bring the car well under the 184okg weight of the Super Sport which means, in theory, that its 431km/h v-max can be comfortably bettered.

However, the trick will be finding a stretch of road long enough and a set of tyres robust enough to withstand such speed. We expect that will all be achievable and won’t be at all surprised to see a street-legal production car go beyond 450km/h. Which is just mind blowing, really.

There’s still around 15 build slots left (out of 450) for the current Veyron, as such concrete plans for its replacement are yet to be announced, but it seems as though the development program is well underway.

“Five developmental prototypes with differing powertrain combinations have been constructed up to now,” one source confirmed. “They are based on the existing car 
but use various solutions 
that are being considered for the new model.”

Also of note is talk that Bugatti could fit the new car with electric turbochargers. This would be done in order to improve low-end torque and could bring the added benefit of lower thermal temperatures.

Styling isn’t expected to stray too far from the Mk1 Veyron and we thank Autocar for making this rendering available in 2000px super sizing.

[Source: Autocar]

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Volkswagen Group tipped to rebrand as Auto Union

Auto Union badge

Here’s a rumour from GoAuto that has grabbed our interest, according to its report Volkswagen Group is considering a name change to Auto Union.

A possible theory for the change would be to establish a greater sense of independence for each of the brands under Volkswagen’s control, by removing the Volkswagen name from the umbrella company.

Volkswagen Group controls or owns outright the following marques: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, MAN, Porsche, Scania, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In addition, the group is also the largest shareholder in Suzuki, with a 20% share.

Auto Union is not a new name in the motoring world and was the precursor to what we now know as Audi. Originally formed in 1932 and consisting of four companies—Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer—Auto Union was essentially dissolved by the Soviets after WWII.

However, soon after, in 1949, Auto Union came back to life building two-stroke DKWs. Daimler-Benz took a majority shareholding in 1958 and saw a return of the Auto Union brand and investment in the company’s Ingolstadt factory.

In 1964 Daimler-Benz began to offload its shares and later that year Volkswagen assumed control after it bought the rights to the Auto Union name and the Ingolstadt site. The Audi brand was revived in 1965 and remains as the sole survivor from those Auto Union days.

[Source: GoAuto | Pic: CarType/John Lloyd]

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2014 Geneva Motor Show in pictures – part 1

2014 Geneva Motor Show

Like us you probably haven’t had a chance to duck over to Europe to check out the Geneva Motor Show. So here’s the first of a two part series bringing you a selection of the cars on show. Here we start with Alfa Romeo and go through to Lexus.

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Bugatti

“The Galibier is officially dead”

Bugatti Galibier Concept

Following an earlier report in January Volkswagen Group boss, Dr Martin Winterkorn has confirmed the four-door luxury Bugatti Galibier won’t be going into production.

Winterkorn went on to add the company will instead focus on a replacement for the Veyron. “The Galibier is officially dead. We won’t do it. In its place will be a second-generation Veyron with more power,” he confirmed to Autocar.

So strap yourselves in as the next few years become a speculation-fest on just how ridiculous to headline horsepower figure in the Mk2 Veyron will be. Place your bets, do I have any offers above 1500hp?

[Source: Autocar]

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Bugatti

Bugatti buyers too thick for Galibier saloon

Bugatti Galibier Concept

Bugatti president Dr Wolfgang Schreiber has revealed there are no longer plans to turn the 2009 Galibier concept into a production model. Further, there will be no four-door Bugatti at all. Buyers at the extreme top end of the market are too thick, apparently.

“We have talked many, many times about the Galibier, but this car will not come because … it would confuse our customers,” Schreiber told Top Gear. “Everyone knows that Bugatti is the ultimate super sportscar. It’s easier for current owners, and others who are interested, to understand if we do something similar to the Veyron [next]. And that is what we will do. There will not be a four-door Bugatti.”

That’s an extraordinary assertion, we think, for Schreiber to make. Really, he expects us to believe buyers would be confused if the luxury carmaker produced a sportscar and a super saloon? Wow!

In addition to the death of the Galibier concept, the seemingly endless supply of new special edition Veyrons is also over.

“We will not produce a ‘SuperVeyron’ or Veyron Plus, definitely,” Schreiber said, who was formerly Bugatti’s Technical Director. “There will be no more power. 1200PS is enough for the chapter of Veyron and its derivatives.”

If you’re bemoaning your fate because you thought your chance to buy a new Veyron was over, fear not. There’s still 43 empty spaces on the Veyron’s order book. It’ll have to be a roadster and you’ll have to get your order in before the end of 2015. Don’t be the one who misses out!

[Source: Top Gear]

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Bugatti Hennessey

Bugatti 1 – Hennessy nil

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is once again the world’s fastest production car, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Last week Guinness stripped the record from Bugatti after complaints from rival hillbillies carmaker Hennessy claiming the Veyron Super Sport had its speed limiter removed and was therefore not “production” spec.

A statement from Guinness can be read after the break.

[Source: Autoblog]

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Bugatti

Is Bugatti about to unveil the world’s fastest convertible?

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse

Unperturbed by their recent admonishment from the Guinness Book of Records and the competition from the cowboys at Hennessey, Bugatti say they’re ready for another crack at a production record of some sort.

The car will be a special edition of the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which is tipped to carry the extra tag World Record Convertible. Without giving too much away Bugatti say it will be “the latest example of exceptional performance”.

At the very least we can expect the Vitesse WRC to be the world’s fastest production convertible, but will it reclaim the title of world’s fastest car?

We’ll find out for sure when Auto Shanghai comes around later this month.

[Source: Autocar]

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Bugatti

Bugatti stripped of landspeed record

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Hmm, something’s not quite right here. Just days after Hennessey reckoned that their Venom GT should be acknowledged as the world’s fastest production car Bugatti, who set the record almost three years ago, has had their title rescinded.

In effect, Hennessey accused Bugatti of cheating because the Veyron Super Sport used to set the record had had its 415km/h speed limiter removed, thereby allowing it to reach a verified top speed of 431km/h (267.8mph).

In an official statement the Guinness Book of World Records stated:

“It has come to the attention of Guinness World Records that there was an oversight in its adjudication of the ‘Fastest production car’ which was set in 2010 by the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport,” said Jaime Strang, PR Director of the company.

“As the car’s speed limiter was deactivated, this modification was against the official guidelines. Consequently, the vehicle’s record set at 431.072 km/h is no longer valid. Following this, Guinness World Records is reviewing this category with expert external consultants to ensure our records fairly reflect achievements in this field.”

Bugatti is standing firm, though. “Guinness knew the Veyron’s speed limiter was deactivated but that for safety reasons, cars subsequently sold to customers would have their speed limiters activated [set at 258mph],” a spokeswoman said. “It’s not a hard blow if we lose this title. The Super Sport is more than just a world-record car.”

[Source: Driving.co.uk]