BUGATTI
Bugatti was founded in Molsheim, France as a manufacturer of high performance automobiles by Ettore Bugatti, an Italian immigrant described as an eccentric genius.
The original company is legendary for producing some of the most exclusive cars in the world, as well as some of the fastest. The original Bugatti brand failed with the coming of World War II, like many high-end marques of the time. The death of Ettore's son Jean was also a contributory factor. The company struggled financially, and released one last model in the 1950s, before eventually being purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960s. Today the name is owned byVolkswagen Group, who have revived it as a builder of limited production exclusive sports cars.
The original company is legendary for producing some of the most exclusive cars in the world, as well as some of the fastest. The original Bugatti brand failed with the coming of World War II, like many high-end marques of the time. The death of Ettore's son Jean was also a contributory factor. The company struggled financially, and released one last model in the 1950s, before eventually being purchased for its airplane parts business in the 1960s. Today the name is owned byVolkswagen Group, who have revived it as a builder of limited production exclusive sports cars.
The Veyron features an 8.0-litre (1.8 imp gal; 2.1 US gal) W16 engine — sixteen cylinders in two banks of eight cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has four valves for a total of sixty four, but the narrow staggered eight configuration allows two overhead camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only four camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers and displaces 7,993 cubic centimetres(487.8 cu in), with a square 86 mm by 86 mm (3.4 in × 3.4 in) bore and stroke.The transmission is a dual clutch Direct-Shift Gearbox computer-controlled automatic with seven gear ratios, with magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel and a shift time of less than 150 milliseconds. This is designed and manufactured by Ricardo of England (and not Borg-Warner who designed the six speed DSG used in the mainstream marques of the Volkswagen Group). The Veyron can be driven in either semi automatic or fully automatic mode. A replacement transmission for the Veyron costs just over $120,000. It also features fulltime permanentfour wheel drive, using the Haldex Traction system. It uses special Michelin PAX run flat tyres, designed specifically for the Veyron to accommodate its top speed, which reportedly cost $25,000 US per set. The tyres can only be removed from the rims in France, a service which reportedly costs $70,000. Kerb weight is 2,034.8 kilograms (4,486 lb). This gives the car a power to weight ratio, according to Volkswagen Group's 1,001 metric horsepower (736 kW; 987 bhp) figures, of 446.3 bhp per ton.
The car's wheelbase is 2,710 mm (106.7 in). Overall length is 4,462 mm (175.7 in), width 1,998 mm (78.7 in) and height 1,204 mm (47.4 in).
