VIDEO: Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport's umbrella roof in action

Click above to watch the video after the jump
You can't go lopping the top off of a $1.5 million supercar without replacing it with something. Well, you could, but not if you're going to sell it for more than $2 million apiece. That's why when Bugatti unveiled the new Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, the automaker made sure to demonstrate not one, but two removable roofs that will be included with the targa hypercar. The first is a transparent polycarbonate hard-top section that can be removed and stowed for open-air driving. But in case the obscenely wealthy driver finds himself caught in an unexpected torrential downpour (or just a drizzle, for that matter), Bugatti has also developed an umbrella-like soft-top that can be deployed in an emergency. Unfortunately, the fabric roof section can't withstand the 252 mph top speed that the polycarbonate solid roof can, limiting speeds to an embarrassing 80 mph.
The deployment of the fabric temporary roof was a little difficult to describe in words and pictures, but fortunately our Latin friends at Autoblog En Espanol have found a video of the roof in action. Follow the jump to check it out.
Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport
[Source: Autoblog Spanish]


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paul34 12:40PM (8/21/2008)
Ha, at 200 MPH you should be able to outrun the rainstorm - just never stop! simple!
Well, until you run into that fool who goes 30 MPH in a light drizzle on a 70 MPH highway.
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Torrent 12:46PM (8/21/2008)
But if you are far from home and it's raining. You of course forgot your umbrella, and you use that roof, wouldn't your car get wet?
And don't say "why would you even be driving it in the rain?"
hey. things happen.
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superleggera 3:14PM (8/21/2008)
I think its that if you Forget your Roof, you can use your Umberella.
Sean SL 12:57PM (8/21/2008)
How Tacky.
Charge $100,000 more and get a convertible roof that works!
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Mark 1:17PM (8/21/2008)
You never realize how poor you really are til someone hops in their $2 million car. lol
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aknutson 1:15PM (8/21/2008)
The overhead shots of the Bugatti remind me just how incredible this car looks. Down to the last detail, its stunning - and the new poly-roof only makes it that much better.
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Golferal 3:47PM (8/21/2008)
+1.
I used to say the the Porsche dealership would be my first stop after cashing my lottery check, but this car changed that.
Overall, it is perfect; menacing yet subtle, immensely powerful yet totally drivable, exclusive but not ostentatios.
As much as I love Ferraris and Lambos, most of the people I've met that own them (at least the newer ones) are kind of douchey. This car defines flawless taste.
Franz 1:17PM (8/21/2008)
Looks like that top will take a lot of fiddling to latch in in place. I'm guessing that's why they cut the video right there.
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OubelhaNegra 1:36PM (8/21/2008)
Are this people for real? who run this companies?
this is the most crappy invention for the money that I ever seen
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Swede 1:38PM (8/21/2008)
They must be joking. Imagine yourself driving that and having to put on that tacky flimsy thing. I'd prefer to get wet and avoid embarrasing myself.
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That One Person 7:15PM (8/21/2008)
Huh?
So you will turn yourself into an idiot and put it on WHILE driving?
Or
You will look like a moron driving through a storm with the top off and getting your uber-expensive leather, carpet, dash, etc. wet.
no_Odle 1:54PM (8/21/2008)
Worthless car, except if u have so much money and get too bored not knowing what to spend it on next. The car is also very ugly. The rear end is ok looking, but the front: MY GOD (RUUUUUNNNNN), its hideous.
conclusion: buy a Dacia Sandero, its worth the money. :)
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ronzo 2:20PM (8/21/2008)
$3 mil and that's the best they could come up with??????
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Hike15 2:51PM (8/21/2008)
looks like the top on my 1987 corvette coupe...just not as faded...nice touch for a $million+ super car
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Golferal 3:53PM (8/21/2008)
...except that this roof is attached to a Bugatti....
MONTE 3:17PM (8/21/2008)
So for that kind of money they could figure out something better? Why not just have your smoking hot girlfriend hold an umbrella up while you drive down the road, make her earn her keep.
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bill jackman 3:20PM (8/21/2008)
Hideous opulence. ...and that top is like something you'd find in a Wal-Mart with "As Seen on TV" on the box. Clever. As in $19.95-but-wait-there's-more clever.
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ronzo 3:35PM (8/21/2008)
They could have Billy Mays scream-selling it on TV.
"The Bugatti Veyron: Walmart Edition!!!"
That's great, Bill! lol
I love it!
adilator 3:21PM (8/21/2008)
all you morons, this is just in case you go without the hardtop and get surprised by the rain.
the car does have a hard top for the winter days.
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ddorsey 10:24PM (8/21/2008)
The people who drive this car probably take it out once a week TOPS. Why wouldn't they check the weather report, and if they can't do that, just get the cheaper, better looking hardtop version, if it rains a lot much where you live you shouldn't be looking at convertables.
I live in southern california, and there is RARELY surprise rain. Maybe once or twice a year. And the odds of it coming while a rich man is driving his 3 million dollar soft top Bugatti veyron are very low. Low enough to make this look stupid and a waste of money.