On the occasion of the 78th Geneva Motor Show (from 6 to 16 March 2008), Bugatti and Hermès co-present the fruit of their partnership: the "Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès", associat-ing Bugatti's technical performance with the expertise of Hermès and its craftsmen. In partnership with Hermès, designer Gabriele Pezzini has married the distinctive Hermès style to the legendary Bugatti Veyron 16.4, magnifying the car's personality.
This remarkable car features an array of exceptional characteristics: the innovative alliance of a technologically advanced engine, delivering 1001 horsepower, with an understated yet uncompromising silhouette reflecting the high performance capacities of state-of-the-art engineering and design, and above all, the pleasure these inspire in every Bugatti owner. The fascination exerted by this sports coupé, capable of reaching 407 km/h, is due in large part to its unique alliance of the very finest motorracing technology with comfortable handling for everyday driving. The 16-cylinder "W" configuration engine is fed by four turbochargers and features 64 valves, generating 1001 horsepower at 6000 rpm. The engine draws on its 8-litre displacement to deliver a maximum torque of 1250 Newton-metres between 2200 and 5500 rpm. With full-time all-wheel drive, the car's phenomenal power produces breathtakingly dynamic handling, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 2.5 seconds. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 benefits from aeronautical and aerospace technologies, making it the fastest production car ever made. The car also features a braking system designed to deliver unprecedented powers of deceleration, establishing a new industry benchmark. The carbon-fibre discs provide brake pressure of up to 180 bars, combined with eight-piston monobloc callipers and titanium pistons fitted with fine steel heads and ceramic heat protectors. Apply the brakes at speeds above 200 km/h, and the rear wing acts as an airbrake, positioning itself at an angle of 113 degrees in less than 0.4 seconds, augmenting the Bugatti Veyron's already impressive stopping power. The airbrake increases negative lift at the rear of the car to 300 kg, enhancing the braking torque on the rear axle. At 400 km/h, emergency braking will bring the sports car to a complete halt in less than 10 seconds.
This, the world's most fascinating car, has pushed back the limits of physical engineering to offer a completely new sensation for driver and passenger alike. But it has also adopted a radically different stance to that of other sports cars: its features and finish are sure to impress the most demanding clientele. Hermès and designer Gabriele Pezzini have lavished attention on the interior and exterior of this exceptional car, to create the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4: the "Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès"
A harmonious design, inside and out
The official name of the highly exclusive Bugatti Veyron "Fbg par Hermès" refers to the historic Hermès headquarters on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the heart of Paris's eighth arrondissement: the "Fbg" appellation evokes the house's "faubourg" address.
With the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès, the exacting standards of Émile Hermès and Ettore Bugatti come together for the first time, in an exceptional collaboration: the culmination of their extreme attention to aesthetic and technological quality and performance.
Gabriele Pezzini has reinterpreted Bugatti's traditional two-tone carriage work, fostering a fluid, harmonious transition between the car's exterior and interior design. The colour of the hood extends to the interior of the cockpit, and re-emerges behind, at the level of the rear wing. As a tribute to the celebrated 1924 Bugatti Type 35, undoubtedly the most famous of all time, thanks to its many successes on the racetrack, the new Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès features eight-spoked wheels in polished aluminium, central butterfly wheel locks branded with the letter H, and air vents around the rims reproducing the characteristic appearance of Hermès saddle-stitching. The horseshoe radiator grille, and the lateral ventilation grilles flanking it, are made from lightweight alloys with a design of interlocking H's evoking the Hermès "signature".
A refined formal vocabulary
The inner surfaces of the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès have been designed and sheathed in bull calfskin by the Hermès workshops in Paris. The care and attention to detail observe an extremely refined, minimalist formal vocabulary, reflecting the tradition of the very first Bugattis and the fundamental design principles of the house of Hermès. The door handles echo the fluid forms of handles on Hermès travel bags and luggage. And the dashboard, traditionally finished in brushed aluminium, is here clad entirely in bull calfskin. Passengers aboard the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès will find a dashboard glove compartment designed to hold a selection of small travel accessories and a zipped Hermès wallet. Both seats are covered in two-toned bull calfskin, and the panel separating the cockpit from the central rear engine - traditionally made of carbon fibre - is covered in the same fine leather. The leather-lined trunk holds a speciallyfitted "Toile H" and leather case, hand-made by craftsmen from the Hermès workshops.
This exceptional model - in toning colours of ebony and étoupe, or ebony and brick - is priced at 1.55 million euros (not including tax), available at the end of 2008.
The UK’s first Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has been delivered to Jack Barclay Ltd. in London.
Currently priced at Euro 1.1m plus tax, the world's fastest car is pictured outside the Albert Hall, Kensington. Powered by a W-16 1001 hp engine, it is capable of more than 250mph and will reach 62mph from a standstill in 2.5 seconds.
Jack Barclay, the sole representative for Bugatti cars in the UK, is leading the world’s sales charts with over 15 orders of this exclusive limited edition car so far this year. London is fast becoming the world's super car capital with record sales for Bentley and Lamborghini.
"We are delighted to take delivery of our first Veyron," commented Dominic Lancaster, general manager of Jack Barclay Bugatti. "Interest in Bugatti has been overwhelming since the project was announced five years ago. The UK, and in particular London, has a proud tradition of being home to the world's most expensive and exciting cars. At Jack Barclay, we are extremely pleased by the number of orders at this early stage, and expect to have sold the full UK quota of cars before the end of the year."
The Bugatti Veyron can be seen this weekend taking part in the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 7 to 9 July, Goodwood, West Sussex.
Jack Barclay Ltd is part of H.R. Owen Plc, which also represents Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo in the capital.
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Over 60 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 delivered worldwide
By the end of February Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. will have delivered 60 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 to date. As a result, the planned production volume has been exceeded.
After the start of production of the Bugatti Veyron in Alsatian Molsheim at the end of 2005 and the delivery of the ?rst vehicle in March 2006, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has reached the planned 50 units for the ?rst production year. This is interesting to note, because the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is a completely new model and thus has not been able to rely on already existing components.
In December 2003, the responsibility for Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. went to Dr. Thomas Bscher, the new president of the company. Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber was appointed as technical director and manager of Bugatti Engineering. The entire Bugatti project was then completely reassessed and a new schedule for the completion date of the super sports car was decided. The objectives established in this process have all been achieved since then.
Production of the Bugatti Veyron has been limited to a maximum of 300 units. The number of units for the ?rst production year has amounted to – as announced – 50 vehicles. Today, Bugatti is already able to increase the annual production volume and thus is able to reduce the customer waiting time.
Promising order entry
“In 2007 we are planning to increase the production of the Bugatti Veyron”, said Dr. Thomas Bscher at the International Geneva Motor Show, “because the order entry for the Veyron is getting close to a 140 and we wouldn’t want our customers to have to wait longer for their Bugatti.”
“It is not unexpected”, continued Dr Bscher, “that most of the orders come from the US; traditionally the most important market for luxury vehicles. 30% of the 140 contracts received up to now with a down payment of EUR 300,000, which is the condition for the production of the vehicle to start, come from the United States. This means that that is where – on a country basis – up to now most of the Bugatti Veyron have been delivered.
In Europe, the majority of the demand comes from England and Germany, which are the two most important markets for luxury cars outside the US. Naturally, the Bugatti Veyron super sports car has also created interest in the Middle Eastern countries and deliveries to Arab countries underline the pleasant sales trend of this unique vehicle.
A worldwide network of contract partners
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. highly values supporting the vehicles sold with a worldwide organisation of Bugatti bases. Within a year, a network of Bugatti sales and service partners has been developed – now covering 26 locations. Consistent with the sales ?gures, the USA is also top in this area with nine contact points. Five on the west coast, one in Florida and the traditional areas in the east with three partners sharing the responsibility.
Also in Europe, the important luxury car markets such as Germany, England, France, Monaco, Benelux, Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland are already covered.
It goes without saying that the uniqueness of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has also not gone unnoticed in the so- called new markets. Thus, increasing demand can be seen in China and Russia. As Bugatti has set itself the goal of delivering only to areas where the company is also represented by competent contact partners, these enquiries will be treated with a certain level of caution until the development of the sales and service organisation.
Old and new in Geneva
Today, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 already has its place in car history as an undisputed classic. It embodies everything that is technologically and technically possible in automobile construction on a level which is absolutely unreached and will remain so for some time.
But also the Veyron models itself on the heritage and the value of the brand. « Art – form – technique » the legacy of the company founder is as signi?cant today as in 1931 when the Type 55 was created and one of these Type 55 models is shown at this year‘s International Geneva Motor Show on the Bugatti stand. Thus, the link between the “thoroughbred” of the 30s and the “pur sang” of the 21st century will be highlighted in an impressive way.
The Type 55 Roadster
In 1931, the Type 55 replaced the Type 43 super sport tour car with a Grand Prix motor. The Type 55 Bugatti now used the 2.3 litre Grand Prix motor with a compressor from the Type 51 and the very stiff chassis of the Type 47 designed for a 16 cylinder motor. Thus it brought together different ingredients to make one of the best Bugatti vehicles. The brakes and tyres of the Type 55 were identical to those of the Type 51. The draft of the lovely two-seater roadster body offered by the factory stemmed from Jean Bugatti. Apart from the roadster also the so-called “Faux Cabriolet” was offered by the factory, a coupé whose design also came from Jean. In total 38 chassis of the Type 55 were manufactured between 1931 and 1935, 13 of them had the famous roadster body shown here.
The acceleration of the Type 55 was amazing. From 0 to 100km/h in under 10 seconds. Whilst steering and road holding around bends convinced, many drivers wished for a gearbox like the Grand Prix one instead of the sluggish Type 49 gear box. In 1933, a test journalist wrote the following about the Type 55 in “Autocar”: “One doesn’t expect an engine of this type to run noiselessly. Whilst the exhaust noise of the car is noticeable but tolerable, there are a lot of mechanical noises that are caused by the gear box and the closely toothed wheels of the camshaft drive system. At high speed these individual noises turn into a wild, impressive howl. Road holding and handling are so excellent that one can zip around bends with the car. As it doesn’t swerve one feels completely safe. For a car of this type the suspension can be called comfortable…. Some experience has to be used on the gear box, the ?rst and second gear slightly “hang” at high engine speed otherwise they can be changed quickly”. More than any other Bugatti, the elegant Type 55 is a wolf in sheep‘s clothing.
An international car
The new Veyron is an impressive platform of top end automotive technology and – loyal to Bugatti’s heritage « nothing is too expensive, nothing is too beautiful » – only the best parts and materials in the trade are used in the production process. And the Veyron is a truly international car. One of the key- and most sophisticated parts, the 7 speed-sequential-DSG-double-clutch-gearbox, is made by motor sport specialists Ricardo in the UK, the unique 16 cylinder-8.0-litre-engine comes from the Volkswagen engine plant in Salzgitter in Germany.
The tyres – the ?rst production tyres in the industry homologated for speeds above 400 km/h – are a joint development with Michelin. The carbon ?bre mono coque is built by ATR in Italy, the front- and rear-structure in forged aluminium by Heggemann in Germany and the bespoke carbon-ceramic brakes by AP Racing in Great Britain. The paintwork is German, the leather Austrian, the windscreen is manufactured in Finland, and so it goes on.
50 years down the road, a car make once again
Today, nearly 50 years later to the day, the production of Bugatti automobiles in Molsheim is resuming, making Molsheim once again the hub of the Bugatti world. As a centre for reminiscence, this picturesque, small city near Strasbourg has never lost its signi?cance.
The area’s ‘Enthusiasts Bugatti Alsace’, together with their friends in the various Bugatti clubs throughout the entire world, are in large measure responsible for keeping the brand alive over the decades – even in the absence of the product itself. This is an experience, which various other prestigious automobile brands with melodious names have not shared.
It is in this fact that the strength of the Bugatti brand values is expressed most clearly. The admiration for ‘art on wheels’, the cool achievement of the aesthetic tenacity of Ettore Bugatti, who was a man who was ?rst and foremost an artist, not a technician. The grandeur of the victories in the glorious years of dirt-encrusted heroes on the racecourses of this world and, not least, the suitability of these racing cars for everyday driving – the latter is what made Bugatti cars accessible to a broader clientele. The prestige of inspired design and the exclusiveness of individual models that helped catapult certain Bugatti models into the astronomical price classes.
In 1956, the ?nal attempts had failed, in the wake of the death of the company’s founder in 1947 – preceded in death in 1939 by his son Jean, with whom he collaborated – to keep the substantially weakened company alive. After 47 years’ production, in the course of which 7,950 Bugatti’s of models 13 through 251 had been manufactured, the gates to the Bugatti factory in Molsheim were forced to close.
In April 1998, the Volkswagen Group took over the Bugatti trademark and the brand has been developing ever since.
Bugatti is presenting a special edition of the EB 16.4 Veyron limited to five worldwide - the Pur Sang - at the Frankfurt International Auto Show. The limited edition will be numerically consigned to the ranks of overall volume designed for 300 cars.
With the Bugatti EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang the company is continuing a tradition that produced icons like the T57 SC Atlantic and the numerous versions of the T41 Royale. Then as now Bugatti stands for a unique symbiosis of art, design and technology. Precisely this claim - manifested by company founder Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean - is reflected by the EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang, presented in a world premiere in Frankfurt. Reduced to pure design and technology, a car was created here that again was not the means to an end, but in fact had become a work of art in the sum of its parts. The EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang completely forgoes exterior paint.
The idea for the EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang originated in the Bugatti factory in Molsheim. In what's referred to as the studio where the high-tech components of the Veyron are assembled with painstaking precision. "When some of our designers were looking at production and once again became aware of the technical beauty of the structure," says Achim Anscheidt, Head of Bugatti Design, "they came up with the idea of finishing the car in its pure material configuration. And that means without a coating of paint."
The result is the EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang, a study in which carbon and aluminum blend into a unique two-tone color, although no paint is involved. "Interestingly," explains Anscheidt, "the pure materials used to underscore even more clearly the unified extremes of this car. Power combined with comfort, technical structure and organic bodies, light and dark. A closer look at the details reveals the techincal logic behind the stylish appearance. The innovatively designed monocoque carries all main structural components, including the W16 engine, the passenger compartment, the crumple zone and the suspension. It's precisely this foundation determined by function, made of carbon fiber coated with clear paint, that lies open in view at the heart of the Veyron. The use of aluminum linings is equally forceful. Through the bold and muscular coverings of the wheels as a perfectly designed wing they lend the car its stature and the unique body sculpture. Polished to a mirror finish, these perfectly curved shapes make the facinating surface reflections visible that characterize the Veyron."
The balance of the visual impression is especially apparent when viewing the Bugatti from above. "These qualities," says Achim Anscheidt, "merge into a unique appearance - almost like a painting by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian." The outstanding representative of classical modern wanted to express the following in his art in the past century: "Beauty across the line and harmony by the balance of relationships between lines, colors and surfaces. But only in the clearest and most powerful way." This definition has also described a car for over six decades: the EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang. The two essential materials of the Pur Sang - thoroughbred in English - examined in detail:
Carbon Body
A car can never be light enough. This principal applies all the more so for the Bugatti Veyron, because it was designed for a sporty high performance. This is why the battle for each kilogram of weight has been one of the big constants in the development history of the Bugatti. Special attention was paid to materials: Only one material was used for each component, guaranteeing the best functionality at the lowest weight. Titanium, magnesium, aluminum and carbon fiber proved to be ideal.
Thanks to carbon fiber construction techniques, the monocoque of the EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang is not just especially light, but - as it is known for motorsport - extremely safe. The monocoque is not just a rigid survival compartment, but can also ideally dissipate crash energy through elastic deformation. The main responsibility for this lies with the frames in which the carbon fiber monocoque is integrated - done in aluminum in the front and in combination of the carbon fiber and stainless steel at the back.
Aluminum
The parts made of aluminum show the meticulousness and will to perfection the designers of Bugatti pursued in their work. And this doesn't just apply to the body. The reason for this is that aluminum is normally a recycled product, resulting in a variety of impurities in the alloys. This has no effect on the characteristics of the material, but on its appearance. After polishing and anodizing the aluminum there can be different degrees of gloss. Not so on the inside of the Veyron, where aluminum is used with the material corresponding to the body shell: If you look closely, you can see that there are no differences in gloss here. Because a single, special alloy is used exclusively in the Veyron: AlMgSi 0.3 Vitral 42. No work is done with other alloys.
All told, 1,888 kilogrammes of net weight stand in contrast to performance of 1,000 hp. This results in a power / weight ration of 1.88 kg/hp (4.15 lbs./hp) an excellent relationship that also positions the 400 km/h fast EB 16.4 Veyron Pur Sang beyond everything previously known.
After several attempts the Shelby engineers did it: SSC Ultimate Aero is official the fastest car in the world!
The first pass was recorded at 257.11 MPH / 413.82 KMH, and the second pass was recorded at 254.55 MPH / 409.71 KMH. The official record was previously held by the Koenigsegg CCX . The unofficial record held by the Bugatti Veyron is 253.4 MPH.
Detailed content
Speed testing has been conducted in the company’s home state of Washington and has been validated by Guinness World Records. The Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero (with 1,183hp) finalized speed testing with a World Record Breaking speed of 255.83 MPH / 411.76 KMH.
The first pass was recorded at 257.11 MPH / 413.82 KMH, and the second pass was recorded at 254.55 MPH / 409.71 KMH. The official record was previously held by the Koenigsegg CCX (242 MPH). The unofficial record held by the Bugatti Veyron is 253.4 MPH.
There is a standard procedure outlined by Guinness World Records to validate a land speed record. The vehicle must drive the predetermined course, turn around, and drive back the opposite way within one hour. This is to negate any discrepancy there may be in the course or conditions. Top speeds from each run are then averaged to obtain the official speed. This method has been used for decades as the benchmark for land speed record attempts.
Dewetron, a company known for performance testing of missile, train, aerospace, and automotive capabilities will accurately monitor and measure the speed of the Ultimate Aero for the record run. Dewetron’s equipment is so precise that Guinness World Records approved their systems as a replacement for the standard 1,000m laser traps. Dewetron utilizes 4-12 satellites and numerous onboard sensors to track a vehicle’s speed.
