Autoblog

First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is a temple of Zen

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Supercars, Bugatti, First Drive

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery

Just like the last time, when we drove the Bugatti Veyron, it began with an e-mail from Bugatti's PR firm: "Give me a call when you have a moment." And then, again, just like the last time, there came the question: "We have a Grand Sport. Can you do something with it?" Let. Me. See.

And that's how we ended up spending a day with the roofless Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport on a reference-resetting trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back. Although you'll read many words after the jump to describe it, we really only need one word, and we'd draw it out in the same kind of smiling stupor we get when the dentist pumps us full of happy gas: "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh...."

Follow the jump for the story.

Gallery: First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Continue reading First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is a temple of Zen

First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is a temple of Zen originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pics Aplenty: Gettin' bacchus with the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

John Neff — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery

Production of the Veyron Grand Sport, Bugatti's roadster version of the ultimate super car, is just getting underway at the automaker's factory in Molsheim, France. Accordingly, Bugatti has released a batch of new high-res pics that were taken last year in such places as Napa Valley (hence the wine reference), Rome and Sardinia when the car debuted. Now, keep in mind, you don't just take a Sawzall to a Veyron's roof and get a Grand Sport. The GS gets a higher windscreen, daytime running lights and a transparent polycarbonate roof panel or umbrella-like soft top. There's also enough extra bracing beneath the carbon fiber skin to survive a black hole, and the two large air intakes above the engine are now reinforced to act as rollover bars.

The Veyron GS can go nearly 253 mph with its roof panel on, almost as fast as the straight coupe. Sans roof panel it can still hit almost 224 mph, and the soft top brings things down a top speed of just 99 mph. Only 150 units will be made, which means the 1.4 million euro Veyron Grand Sport is an ultra exclusive version of an already ultra exclusive car. Deliveries start in July and 30 have already ordered.

BONUS: This image is extra special because we took it while driving the car ourselves. Keep an eye out for Autoblog's First Drive of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, coming soon.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Pics Aplenty: Gettin' bacchus with the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roofless Tyrant: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production

Noah Joseph — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Plants/Manufacturing, Supercars, Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The marque's faithful (read: the obscenely wealthy) have been waiting a long time for a convertible Bugatti. The last time a roadster rolled out of Molsheim was in the company's heyday before WWII, and despite our teenage fantasies, no roofless EB110 ever materialized from the Romano Artioli era. But after over a half century's wait, Bugatti has officially returned to the world of open-air motoring.

The most exclusive of exclusive automakers came to Pebble Beach last year with the Veyron Grand Sport, and auctioned off the first example for a whopping $2.19 million. Now the targa-topped Veyron is officially beginning its production run, with deliveries to commence in July. If you're one of those who's been waiting for the opportunity, good economy or bad, you'd better act quickly: Bugatti is only making 150 examples of the world's fastest roadster, with the first 50 units going to existing Veyron owners. Asking price, before the inevitable succession of special editions, is nearly $2 million, which ought to make your eyes water even more than the air kissing your face at 224 mph. Check out the details in the press release after the jump and the fresh crop of high-res images added to the gallery below.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

[Source: Bugatti]

Continue reading Roofless Tyrant: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production

Roofless Tyrant: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 May 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Build your own Bugatti Veyron Gran Sport... that you'll never get to drive

Dan Roth — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Etc., Supercars, Bugatti, Specialty

Personalized Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport - Click above for a high res gallery

You can't own one, at least not right now, but maybe the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport will be as much of a bargain in 25 years as the Ferrari Mondial is. Okay, so that outcome is doubtful, but on the off chance you might someday take possession of one of these monsters, planning ahead is key. When it's beaten, broken, clapped out, and the top piece has gone missing, bodywork and restoration will be necessary, opening the door to a personalization party. Bugatti's even going to help you out. The storied French nameplate has a configurator on its website that it has now opened up to include the toupée-ripping Grand Sport.

The website is actually a pretty stripped-down affair; pick your model, pick your colors. With the Bug, that's because there's really nothing left to want, besides a very good pair of earplugs in lieu of serenity in the cabin. There is fun to be had in dreaming about how your own personal GS might look, and the site will even kick out a .pdf for you to download and treasure. When you're all done, and your car looks like it came out of the Creamsicle factory, you can print it on high gloss paper and tack that which will never be up on your bedroom wall.

Gallery: Bugatti Configurator

[Source: Bugatti]

Build your own Bugatti Veyron Gran Sport... that you'll never get to drive originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Veyron and eventual replacement coming around 2012

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Supercars, Bugatti

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport.

The big question for Bugatti is: What comes after the Veyron? Seriously, there isn't much that could top the 1,000-or-so horsepower, quad-turbo, 16-cylinder engine that's carried around in the back of the most gorgeous body ever with an equally exquisite interior. How about a revised model with 1,200-horsepower and 1,106 lb-ft of torque? Yeah, that'd do nicely. Rumors indicate that an über-Veyron could make an appearance at the very end of this current generation's production.

Despite consistent rumors of the firm's eventual demise after that, head-honcho Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen says that another supercar and possibly an ultra-lux saloon (four-door to all you poor people) could be in the cards for 2012. In an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, alternative-fuel powerplants will also be on the drawing board. We know that parent-company VW has plenty of worthy powerplants in its parts bin, and the idea of giant torque funneled through an all-wheel drive system has us saving our millions already.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Live Debut

[Source: Autocar]

Super Veyron and eventual replacement coming around 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Noah Joseph — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Supercars, Bugatti

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

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Live Debut

[Source: Autoblog Spanish]

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

VIDEO: Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport's umbrella roof in action originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2008: First Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport auctioned for $3.19 million

Drew Phillips — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Supercars, Bugatti

Click above for high-res gallery of Bugatti Grand Sport in Monterey

Just a day after the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport was unveiled on the Pebble Beach lawn, the Gooding & Company auctioned off the rights to chassis #1 and the opportunity to work with the Bugatti factory to build the car to their exact specifications. With the Grand Sport prototype up on the auction block, bidding started at $1.7 million and finally rested with a final offer of $2.9 million. The auction premium of 10 percent then brought the total to $3.19 million. In case you were wondering what it's like to witness the sale of a multi-million dollar car, you can watch a video of the auction after the jump as well as read more about the Gooding & Company auction highlights in the press release.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Live Debut

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Continue reading Monterey 2008: First Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport auctioned for $3.19 million

Monterey 2008: First Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport auctioned for $3.19 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2008: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Damon Lavrinc — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:04:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Supercars, Bugatti, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport.

The wraps - and the roof - have come off the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport here in Monterey, finally answering a question few have asked and even fewer will sample.

As you'd expect, Bugatti hasn't just hacked the roof off the Veyron and gone to the pub. The windshield is slightly higher, the daytime running lights have been tweaked and then there's the showpiece: a removable, transparent polycarbonate roof, which blends the A-pillars into two painted carbon fiber strips that lead into the massive air intakes feeding the 1001 hp, quad-turbocharged, W16.

If you stow the roof at home for the world's fastest open-air, four-wheeled experience and the heavens decide to open, a folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be - according to Bugatti - "opened like an umbrella." With the soft-top in place, speeds are limited to an incredibly low 130 km/h (81 mph), otherwise, the Grand Sport can hit 252 mph with the polycarbonate roof and 224 mph with the top removed.

Bugatti made several structural enhancements to ensure the Grand Sport shares the same chassis rigidity and safety standards as its fixed roof counterpart. The monocoque has been reinforced around the side skirts and transmission tunnel, the doors feature new longitudinal beams, and the air intakes have been redesigned to include ten-centimeter-wide carbon fiber elements to protect occupants in the event of rollover.

Only 150 examples will be made available, with the first 50 going to registered Bugatti customers. The first model will be auctioned off at the Gooding & Company auction tomorrow night, with all the profits over the 1.4 million euro ($2.05 million) sticker going to charity.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Live Debut

Gallery: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Continue reading Monterey 2008: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Monterey 2008: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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