Autoblog

With its quad-turbo W16 pumping out over 1000 horsepower and reaching speeds in excess of 250 mph, surpassing the Bugatti Veyron is no mean feat. Many have tried, but few have succeeded. Yet that is exactly what Bugatti's own engineers will have to achieve when it comes time to replace the Veyron with its successor.

What form that successor would take has been a subject of great debate and continued speculation. At first it was rumored to go downmarket as a roadster. Then it was expected to be a four-door. A lightweight exotic was said to be under development, while its new corporate overlords at Porsche seemed keen to relegate the marque altogether to coachbuilder status. In an emerging interview for Holland's AutoTelegraaf, however, CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen revealed that Bugatti is preparing to launch a new model to replace the Veyron in 2011 or 2012, and that despite restricting emissions and fuel economy regulations around the world, the new model would have to stand up to the performance standards set by the Veyron. Design will follow along the same theme as the Veyron, while Bugatti also considers a racing program, although what championship it would contend remains the subject of further speculation.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf via Motor Authority]

Click for hi-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

If you're thinking about dropping $1.5 million on a set of wheels, would a special edition really tip the scales one way or another? Well, Bugatti evidently thinks so. After having produced the Pur Sang and the Fbg par Hermès editions, the ultra-premium auto marque revealed the Sang Noir last month.

Now, after disgruntled U.S. buyers lost out on the opportunity to buy the Pur Sang when it sold out to an invited group of European customers in Paris, Bugatti has announced that its American clientele will get first crack at the limited run of 15 Sang Noir Veyrons before they're offered elsewhere in the world. And who said holding American citizenship isn't worth what it used to be?

[Source: Evo]

While we all know that a 16-cylinder Bugatti Veyron would leave a 12-cylinder Ferrari 599 GTB choking in its own emissions, two blokes in the UK apparently wanted to check it out for themselves. After witnesses reported the two supercars jockeying for position at high speeds on public highways, police took pursuit in a BMW patrol car. Following velocities of nearly 140 mph in the chase, the Bugatti respectfully pulled over while the Ferrari got away scott free. Fortunately for the Bugatti driver, police officially clocked the 253-mph Veyron going a mere 97 mph. The resulting citation was three points on his license and a fine of just £60 (about $120). We think the outcome would have been much, much uglier in the States. Thanks for the tip, Paul!

[Source: The Sun]

After the numerous reports we've brought you about the wealth of Bugatti Veyrons to be found in the United Arab Emirates, it should hardly come as any big surprise that when Top Gear magazine turned up in the capital Abu Dhabi, it had no trouble finding one for a photo shoot. In fact it didn't find just one, but three examples of the million-dollar supercar, with reclusive owners willing to hand over the keys to the British magazine.

Nor were these any run-of-the-mill Veyrons, either. Any true gearhead would know that the Veyron typically comes in two-tone paintjobs, but a few have left the factory in Molsheim with monotone tints, like the all-red example we reported on previously. That one, or one just like it, was one of the vehicles which the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority tracked down for TG, along with an all-white example and the extremely exclusive Pur Sang bare-aluminum-and-carbon edition spotted in the emirate previously. It's not every day that you see three Veyrons in the same place – let alone together with The Stig and, reportedly, a Koenigsegg CCX as well – but if it were to happen anywhere, the UAE seems to be the place. Thanks to all who tipped in!

[Source: PassatWorld]

Click the image above for a photo gallery of the Bugatti Sang Noir

A darker, evil-er Bugatti Veyron has been born to run alongside the Pur Sang: the Sang Noir. Word is the newest variant has been created to be a tip of the hat -- that would be "chapeau!" in French -- to the Bugatti Atlantique 57S. It gets a slightly different front grille with matching side mirrors, black headlight surrounds, exclusive wheels, and an interior dressed in what looks like electric orange. All in all, the car appears to share nothing with the Atlantique other than the name Bugatti and choice of exterior color. But it's not like that would keep you from buying it, would it?


[Source: 4WheelsBlog via AutoSpies]

Click above for high-res gallery of our time with the Bugatti Veyron

We already know that Bugatti's second vehicle in the modern era will be a targa-top version of the Veyron 16.4, but AutoExpress has revealed that production of the open-air exotica will be limited to just 80 units compared to the coupe's comparatively ample run of 300 cars. The cost of letting the sun shine through your Veyron's dome will also be more prohibitive, with a price tag creeping up on £900,000 compared to the £840,000 cost of the coupe. As with most open-air cars, the Veyron's chassis will be made beefier to cope with the loss of rigidity caused by a big hole in its roof. As such, the new car will weigh more than than the record-setting original. Top speed will therefore be relatively limited, if one can call a 217-mph top speed limited. Then again, as we learned while driving the car ourselves, every car is limited compared to the original Veyron.


[Source: AutoExpress]

Click to view the Bugatti Veyron's unveiling in Beijing

If you were looking for the new epitome of capitalism's slow-but-steady takeover of communism in China, we've got it for you right here. Bugatti brought its million-euro hyper-car this year to the Auto China show in Beijing, drawing hoards of spectators in its appropriate bright red paint job. What's more is that within two hours of the car's debut, Bugatti had already sold one.

The customer will fly to Bugatti's Molsheim headquarters to pick out the color scheme and options (apparently no one told him he could do it online), and pay a whopping 25 million yuan (approximately $3.6 million, more than twice the sticker price) for the privilege of owning the first Veyron in China. Mao who?

Click on the images below and the press release after the jump for more on the Veyron's unveiling in Beijing.

[Source: Bugatti and Gasgoo]

Exotic automakers have been lining up like their customers to get their supercars onto the latest driving simulators. If you own an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, the excitement has been palatable. If you prefer to get your horsepower kicks in front of your computer, however, you've probably been feeling a little left out as the lists of new cars for games like Forza 2 and the upcoming GT5 Prologue have been flowing like octane. But we've got good news for racing enthusiasts on any platform, as Electronic Arts has announced a new update for its Need for Speed: ProStreet game.

ProStreet is the eleventh installment of the popular Need for Speed series, with versions available for Xbox, Playstation and PC. The latest bit of DLC (downloadable content) is anticipated to include two new tracks and no fewer than 16 new cars. Among them: the Bugatti Veyron. The street-racing theme of the game seems an odd choice for Bugatti to grant its first license, but opens the question as to whether we'll see the Veyron appear in other games soon. Meanwhile the Veyron won't be the only new exciting piece of virtual machinery streaming to a system near you, as the expansion pack is also anticipated to include such mouthwatering wheels as the Aston Martin DBR9, Audi R8, Koenigsegg CCX and McLaren F1, just to name a few.

Check out the video after the jump to see the Veyron on the ProStreet customizing screen, cycling through even more options than Bugatti's own online configurator.

[Source: techAU via The German Car Blog]

Click above to view in high resolution

If you're in the market for a Bugatti Veyron, first we'd like implore you consider how wonderful it would be to have your daughter marry a blogger. Then we'd direct you to Innovation Cars, a UK-based luxury car broker that is currently listing no less than 11 Veyrons available from locations around the world (mostly in the Emirates, probably) in a variety of trims.

At the top of Innovation's list is a slot on the waiting list to order a new Veyron for delivery in September. Innovation has also got the details on a limited edition we've yet to hear of in carbon fiber over black with blacked-out chrome and an orange leather interior. Among the other nine is the all-red Veyron we brought you earlier, as well as three brand-new, unregistered models and three more registered 2008 models. No Pur Sang or Hermes edition, though, so we think we'll hold on to our cash for now.

[Source: Innovation Cars via The German Car Blog]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes

The press release says "This car's greatest strength is its ability to make you feel like a child again (a somewhat boisterous child, admittedly)." We can't agree enough. Who among us doesn't have childhood tales of doing 200-plus in our €1.55 million toys? This blogger used to do it all the time -- no, really, all the time, 'cause I was really boisterous -- and I am sure I'm not alone. Hyperbole aside, it's a Bugatti, and that makes it exquisite. And frankly, even if you aren't a fan of Hermes, they do amazing work, which, incredibly, makes the Bug even more exquisite. The "H"-logoed wheels and the fitted bag are spot on. The Hermes engraved fuel filler door could be over the top, but one loses any sense of O.T.T. after flying by the $2 million mark. But hey, if we're all feeling like kids again, maybe I can get them to take 1.55 million mud pies instead of euros. Until then, thirty one hi-res photos await you in the gallery below. Enjoy.