Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

Jul 5, 2010

Flashback to 15-20 years ago… You’re a small kid who just became a car fanatic after seeing his first Ferrari on TV. You spend hours drawing up cars, trying to design the fastest supercar of all time, but not realising that straight lines don’t help with aerodynamics.

As you grow up & learn a lot more about cars, you wonder why people aren’t building faster cars? Why are all cars so “boxy?”

You marvel at the Concorde, but remain perplexed why isn’t there a car that commands the same reverence?

You fight with your friends over which Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini is better but deep down you know that there is not a single car that overshadows every other car.

That was until 2005, or to be more precise 1999, when the EB 18/4 Veyron concept was unveiled. The engineers had only three targets – a top speed in excess of 400 km/h, 0–100 km/h in less than 3s & an engine with more than 1000hp. & the designers had the task of harmonising this engineering masterpiece with the aesthetics of contemporary art.

A boyhood dream come true, it was. A car that was set to change the rules, defy all expectations. The one car to rule them all…

It took 10 years for the Koenigsegg CCR (403.45 km/h) to beat the McLaren F1’s 1994 production car land speed record of 371.8 km/h.

The original Bugatti Veyron broke that record two months later at 408.47 km/h.

"… the greatest piece of engineering ever. No, I'm sorry, this is the greatest car ever made and the greatest car we will ever see in our lifetime."
- Jeremy Clarkson

A top speed that has been verified by the slowest man on Earth – James May.

2 years later, in October 2007, tragedy. The SSC Ultimate Aero TT sets a new record of 412 km/h. Dismay for all petrol heads as the SSC Aero doesn’t possess even 1% of the aura of the Veyron.

Two weeks ago, the balance has finally been restored. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has set a new production land speed record of 431.072 km/h.

On a memo leaked 2 years ago, it was described as the Bugatti Veyron GT, with a top speed of 425 km/h & an engine of 1350hp. The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has only 1200hp and with the modified body can reach 415 km/h (electronically limited to protect the tires).