Bartek S.
Aerodynamic Ace
Holy Mother of God
I hate to admit it, but I've never been a numbers guy. Differential calculus swiftly marked the end of my mathematical career, and thus my engineering career, which is why these days I write about cars rather than partake in their development.
The thing is, everywhere you turn in the automotive world, there's much engineering to account for, even for the most humble of motoring appliances. Think of the advanced electronic brain that keeps a simple automatic transmission on the ball, the mechanical precision that is needed for variable valve timing, or even the geometry of the suspension in something like a Toyota Yaris. These things are taken for granted every time we get behind the wheel, but the development and implementation of such technologies represent an astronomical amount of hard work and determination. Then think about the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 and what its engineers achieved for a moment.
You don't need to have a doctorate in engineering or be a car guru to appreciate the following stats, as the numbers speak for themselves: 407 km/h top speed, 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and the wholly absurd horsepower count of 1001 ps, or 987 horsepower. These are dizzying numbers all right, though not as dizzying as its asking price of 1.1 million euros, which can, without too much difficulty be argued as the deal of the century, but more on that later.
A golden watch probably wouldn't have done for Ferdinand Piëch. Without the now retired Volkswagen chairman, brands like Lamborghini and Bentley wouldn't be under the VW hat. And after all his accomplishments, this was his gift to the world and proof that the Volkswagen empire could produce the ultimate modern automobile, a vehicle that would set the pace for others for years to come. Not only that, but the Veyron wouldn't - couldn't be like other temperamental supercars, it was required to function reliably and be useable on a daily basis. From the moment the guidelines were set, the Veyron 16.4 was destined to end up in the history books.
You really have to admire Piëch for adhering to as many Bugatti traditions as possible. Though the brand was revived for a brief period during the early '90s by Italian investor Romano Artioli, during which the EB110 was produced, VW started fresh from scratch opting only to buy the rights to the name. In the process, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. returned to its historic home in Molsheim, France; the original property on which Ettore Bugatti built the legendary Royale, Type 57 Atlantic and numerous racers, was purchased and restored. The magnificent Château Saint-Jean, a former guest house, has been transformed into Bugatti's corporate head office, and a number of other original buildings on the manicured grounds represent a harmonious equilibrium between Bugatti's values, history and modernity.
More:driving.ca Road Test: 2008 Bugatti Veyron
