Bugatti Veyron Owned By Simon Cowell: Is It Worth $1.65 Million?

The Bugatti Veyron is unquestionably one of the most stunning and expensive cars in the world. Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™, announced that they will be selling none other that Simon Cowell’s 2008 Bugatti.

Cowell’s car is one of 1400 vehicles due to be sold at the 43rd Annual Scottsdale Auction. But there is no doubt his Bugatti is one of the most exclusive cars to be sold there.

The black Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is in immaculate condition, and is the first certified, pre-owned car in the new program that Bugatti are offering.

The car itself has a full one-year factory warranty, four new tires, a full service and, perhaps most importantly, only 1300 real miles on the clock. The fact that all of those miles were personally driven by Simon Cowell himself will no doubt just add to the charm of the car.

The car was custom made for Cowell and has black paint as well as a black interior, making it almost unique in America.

Boasting a massive 1000 horsepower and 6000 RPM, the all wheel drive model also has a 7-speed automated dual clutch transmission.

All of this power under the hood made this Bugatti Veyron the fastest legal street car in the states with a stomach-dropping top speed of just over 235 mph.

The chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson who is handling the auction said:

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long : 2012

Following the success of the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, Bugatti did not wait long before the company received inquiries about an open-top version of the Grand Sport that could also deliver 882 kW (1,200 hp).

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2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long.

“We were instantly electrified by the idea of transferring the power of the Super Sport to the Grand Sport, that delivers a maximum of 1,001 hp, thus taking the roadster to a new level,” says Wolfgang Dürheimer, president of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. He continues: “Our team has managed to transfer the world’s most powerful car engine to the open-top sports car, while taking the vehicle’s dynamics and aerodynamic parameters into consideration. We are proud to present the fastest roadster ever at the Beijing Motor Show with the Asia premiere of the 1,200 hp Grand Sport Vitesse.” The second car Bugatti presents at Beijing is the “Wei Long 2012”, a one off Grand Sport model equipped with unique porcelain dragon relief parts at the in- and outside paying homage to the year of the dragon.

Dynamics in figures.

The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse boasts a remarkable maximum torque of 1,500 Nm (at 3000–5000 rpm) from the 7.9-litre capacity of its W16 engine. The maximum output (1,200 hp) is reached at 6,400 rpm. These figures allow the car to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standing in an unbelievable 2.6 seconds. The top speed of 410 km/h (255 mph) makes the four-wheel drive (like all Veyron) Grand Sport Vitesse the fastest production roadster ever.

Drive system.

The 199 hp increase over the Grand Sport has been mainly achieved by using four larger turbochargers with new intercoolers. Furthermore, Bugatti has extensively reinforced all drivetrain components in order to safely transfer the immense force the Vitesse is capable of. As a consequence of the larger turbochargers and the overall reduced back pressure, it was even possible to reduce the fuel consumption slightly, even with the increased power output. Chassis. In order to put the unrivalled power on the road safely and masterfully, the engineers have reconfigured the chassis of the Vitesse. Thanks to the quick-responding dampers that have been adapted from motor racing, the control of the vehicle has been further improved and balanced perfectly. In addition to the incomparable lateral acceleration that is able to go up to 1.4 g, the precise interaction of the tires (on all-new, lighter 20-inch “Vitesse”-type alloy wheels), together with the intelligent all-wheel-drive system, ensures stable handling. Since the reconfigured ESP kicks in slightly later, for example when you accelerate around corners, the Grand Sport Vitesse also provides a more dynamic performance in these types of situations. It goes without saying that Bugatti adapted the brake-cooling system to account for the even higher engine output. The brakes, which are unparalleled in terms of stability and performance, now have additional and larger air intakes.

Body.

Bugatti has developed a new roof spoiler for the Grand Sport Vitesse that significantly reduces wind noise and buffering in the interior. Furthermore, there will be a new windbreak for the roadster that can be stored away compactly in the luggage compartment when not in use. Both components will also be available for the Grand Sport. While in place, they allow for an extremely relaxed, open-top driving experience even at speeds around 200 km/h (124 mph).

Numerous aerodynamic measures that appeared on the Super Sport’s front and rear have been adapted for the Grand Sport Vitesse. The front end is therefore characterised by larger air intakes; the two central air intakes to the left and right of the Bugatti radiator grille are divided horizontally by a bar. The bottom air vent stretches sideways into the wheel housing providing this exceptional sports car an extremely masterful appearance. Immediately below the air intake, you will see a new, visually refined front spoiler that has been designed in a similar way to the splitters used in motor racing. The rear end, which is also derived from the Super Sport, is characterised by a double diffusor and a centrally positioned twin tailpipe.

Interior.

Carbon fibre is also the dominant material in the interior (along with stainless metals such as Aluminium and Magnesium) of the Grand Sport Vitesse. Numerous interior parts are now made from carbon fibre in the 1,200 hp roadster. This includes the center console extension, a cover with EB logo in the rear-bulkhead leather trim (between the seat backrests) and the belt outlet covers on the seats. The décor on the center console, the door inserts and the adjoining trim on the instrument panel are also made from carbon fibre. The bi-color black trim parts (for example, in the roof console) are also new in the Grand Sport version, as is a special seat design for the Grand Sport Vitesse.

Configuration of the show vehicles.

There is no end to the individualization options for the Bugatti. Each one of the 350 Veyrons built is therefore completely unique. This also applies to the other models that Bugatti is exhibiting at the 2012 Beijing International Motor Show. The Grand Sport Vitesse is painted in all black with red rims in a diamond pattern. Its carmine red interior and seats showcase an aggressive, dynamic look that fits well with the positioning of the new Grand Sport Vitesse. It will cost 1.80 million euros. The classic Grand Sport, a sports car with an elegant, artistic orientation, will, of course, remain in the range. This year in Beijing, Bugatti is presenting a special model to pay homage to the year of the dragon. The one off Grand Sport model “Wei Long 2012” was developed together with the Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur Berlin and has been fitted with dragon relief sculptures on finest porcelain both on the body and in the cabin endowing the car with deep Chinese cultural heritage. With highly elaborated dragon sculptures on the oil and fuel cap, its white polished exterior and carmine red interior the “Wei Long 2012” shines with elegance and nobility. The headrests are embroidered with the Chinese “Dragon” character, and the handcrafted 100% silk floor mats are embossed with Chinese “Dragon” character. Highlight is the exquisite center piece with a white porcelain dragon relief sculpture with every detail of a dragon’s body so vividly craved and elaborated. These unique and artistic Chinese features together with the breathtaking speed of the Bugatti Grand Sport of more than 400 km/h make the “Wei Long 2012” the dragon of the automotive industry. This one off model will cost 1.58 million euros.

(source: Bugatti)

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2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long gas cap.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long interior.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long interior.

2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Wei Long interior.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Black Carbon : 2011

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport presented at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show comes completely in black visible carbon carbon.

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2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Black Carbon.

The details in the polished and anodized aluminum set an excellent contrast as the outer surfaces of the alloy wheels and the EB logos on wheel caps, fuel filler cap and rear lid.

The interior of the Super Sport is draped in two-tone “Snow Beige” and “Beluga Black”. Carbon continues as a defining theme in the inside, sheathing the doors and inset in the central console. The rest is in highly exclusive “Snow Beige” leather. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport shown in Shanghai has already been sold to a customer in China.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is the fastest car worldwide.

The Super Sport is based on the classic Veyron 16.4 but with an output of 882 kW (1,200 PS) is 146 kW (200 PS) more powerful.

Bugatti pilote officiel Pierre-Henri Raphanel last year set a new world speed record for production vehicles on the Volkswagen test track in Ehra Lessien, achieving 431 km/h and an entry into the Guinness Book of Records. The production version is electronically limited to 415 km/h to protect the tires.

The power development of the 7,993 cm3 capacity 16-cylinder engine is made possible by the four enlarged turbochargers and intercoolers. The chassis has also been extensively redesigned, in order to handle the car‘s extreme dynamism with safety. With lateral acceleration of up to 1.4 g, the improved interaction between the tyres and the intelligent all-wheel drive system enables perfect handling. At the same time all powertrain components have also been comprehensively reinforced, to transfer the acceleration of up to 1,500 Nm safely to all four drive wheels.

Instead of the air intakes above the engine, fresh air is fed in via two NACA ducts set into the roof. The Super Sport‘s front view is characterized by expanded, reshaped air intakes, with the lower one extending around the sides to the wheel arch to lend this supreme sports car an even more assured appearance. Meanwhile at the rear the Super Sport features a revised rear panel arrangement and engine cover, a new double diffuser and a centrally arranged exhaust system with two broad chrome exhaust tips. The modified rear and the redesigned roof both enhance the aerodynamics of this quintessential Bugatti.

Ettore Bugatti built the most fascinating cars of all time.

The mystique of Bugatti came into being in the first half of the last century. Ettore Bugatti and later his son Jean designed vehicles which were far ahead of their time in styling and technology.

Types such as the T 57 SC Atlantic or the many versions of the T 41 Royale were then, and still are, legends, and some of the most valuable automobiles ever made. But the mystique is not founded solely on those coupés, roadsters, convertibles and saloons which were driven by the beau monde of the 1920s and 1930s – it is also rooted in the racing victories of those decades.

Test driver Pierre Veyron, who between 1933 and 1937 raced at the wheel of a Bugatti 51A, earned perhaps the most renown for the marque. In this eight-cylinder compressor racer, which developed an output of 140 PS from a cubic capacity of 1,4933 and reached an epoch-making top speed of 210 km/h, Veyron and his team mates set nine international land speed records at the Montlhery circuit outside Paris. And it is in homage to this man that the first Bugatti of the modern era bears his name. Through his racing career Pierre Veyron established forever the legendary status of an automobile marque and a designer of genius: Ettore Bugatti, or simply EB.

(source: Bugatti)

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2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Black Carbon.

2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport Black Carbon interior.

Volkswagen commercial vehicles boss to head up Bentley, Bugatti

Bentley and Bugatti will have a new CEO effective September 1 when Dr Wolfgang Schreiber takes control of both brands from current CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer.
Schreiber (pictured below), 54, will jump ship to Bentley and Bugatti from his current position as commercial vehicles chief at Volkswagen, while Durheimer, 53, will move into a new role at Audi heading technical development.

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn announced the changes along with other Volkswagen Group reshuffling at a press conference in Stuttgart on Saturday saying, “All changes are internal. It is important to have people in leadership positions who know the company”.
Volkswagen has vowed to become the world’s biggest and most profitable car manufacturer by 2018, with plans to overtake General Motors and Toyota by expanding deliveries across its umbrella group to 10 million units annually. In April, Volkswagen AG took ownership of iconic Italian motorcycle brand Ducati.

Bentley’s current range includes the Continental and the Mulsanne, and should be bolstered by the production version of the Bentley EXP 9F luxury SUV around the middle of the decade.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse specifications revealed

Bugatti has released the technical data of its all-new Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, confirming the French hypercar is the quickest and most powerful – and least fuel efficient – convertible in the world.
Unveiled at the 2012 Geneva motor show, the 4.5m Veyron Vitesse inherits the enhanced quad-turbocharged W16 engine from the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. The 8.0-litre powerplant produces 882kW of power (at 6400rpm) and 1500Nm of torque (3000-5000rpm).

Sprinting from 0-100km/h takes just 2.6 seconds, putting the Vitesse behind only the hard-top Veyron in terms of the fastest acceleration times for production cars. Racing from 0-200km/h takes 7.1 seconds, and 0-300km/h comes up in an astonishing 16.0 seconds. The 400mm front and 380mm rear ceramic brakes pull the 1990kg convertible up from 300km/h in 7.9 seconds.
The Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse completes the quarter mile in 10 seconds flat and won’t let up until it reaches its top speed of 410km/h – some 21km/h shy of the Super Sport’s production car record, but still more than enough to claim the title of the world’s quickest roadster.

Depending on how hard they plan to push it, Veyron Vitesse owners can select from three suspension heights to optimise the car’s performance. ‘Standard’ is for town traffic and speeds up to 180km/h; ‘Handling’ is for open roads, highways and race tracks; and ‘Top Speed’ is designed specifically for driving at speeds in excess of 375km/h, closing the front diffuser flaps for improved aerodynamics.
Some other figures make for mind-boggling reading. For example, in first gear at 6500rpm, the Vitesse cracks along at 104km/h.

Insane performance like this comes at a cost, however. The new Veyron’s combined cycle fuel consumption is a whopping 23.1 litres per 100km – all of it top-grade 98 RON premium unleaded – and if you never take it out of the city, it will slurp through 37.2L/100km while belching out 867g/km CO₂.
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse will be priced in excess of two million euros ($2.5 million), making it the most expensive production car in the world. Click the gallery tab for more images.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse confirmed for Geneva

Bugatti will unleash the most powerful roadster in the world at next month’s Geneva motor show when the French supercar manufacturer launches the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse.
The Grand Sport Vitesse (which means ‘speed’ in French) combines the ultimate performance enhancements of the Super Sport coupe with the open-top appeal of the conventional Grand Sport convertible.
Like the Super Sport, the quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre W16 engine in the Grand Sport Vitesse is boosted from 736kW/1250Nm to an almighty 883kW of power and 1500Nm of torque.

The Grand Sport Vitesse will have a top speed in excess of 400km/h, although Bugatti is yet to confirm if its top speed will match the Super Sport’s 431km/h production car record.
Confirmation of the high-performance Veyron convertible has been anticipated since last month’s announcement from Bugatti transmission supplier Ricardo, which revealed a contract extension to continue supplying seven-speed dual-clutch gearboxes to Bugatti for another two years.
Prices are yet to be revealed, but the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse will almost certainly top two million euros ($2.49 million), making it the most expensive production car in the world.

Bugatti Veyron review

The Bugatti Veyron's birth was not an easy one, that it came to be because one day Volkswagen tsar Ferdinand Piech had a dream: to provide the world with a car that had 1000bhp, cost one million euros and could do over 400km/h (250mph). To begin with the brief seemed impossible but in Piech’s mind, not something that couldn’t happen.

By 1999 there was a styling proposal and even an engine of sorts, initially with 18 cylinders. By 2000 the styling was clearer and the powerplant had been reduced to 16 cylinders, effectively two 4.0-litre VW V8s. A year later VW announced it was indeed going to build the Veyron and that it would have 1001PS (987bhp) and do over 400km/h. Then the real trouble started.

The engineers knew that to announce a car with such huge power and speed claims was one thing, but that to make it was entirely another. For a year and a half they tried, and for a year and a half they failed, until eventually Bugatti’s boss, Dr Neuman, was ‘removed.’

Then a new leadership team was brought in in late 2003, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber arriving as the new chief engineer. Having previously been in charge of transmissions at VW/Audi he was the bloke responsible for the original DSG gearboxes.

A few months after that Thomas Bscher, merchant banker, Le Mans race driver and well-known financial trouble-shooter, was appointed as president, having been head-hunted personally by then VW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder.

Then years later and having changed or re-engineered an incredible 95 per cent of the components, the Veyron became reality. And all of Dr Piech’s original dynamic targets had been hit.