2012 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Black and Yellow at Qatar Photo Gallery

The legendary European manufacturer takes part in Qatar Motor Show for the second time, presenting an exclusive and uniquely coloured model of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which is the fastest, most powerful and most luxurious open top car in
the world.

Throughout his life Ettore Bugatti experimented with different colour schemes and materials to create unique cars. The Grand Sport on display at Qatar Motor Show continues this tradition and has a horizontal colour split with a bright yellow body framed in visible black carbon, including black-tinted wheels. The striking contrast of black and yellow, Ettore Bugatti’s favorite colours, is continued inside with seats finished in yellow-colored leather with black stitching. The middle console is in black carbon, while the dashboard, steering wheel and gearshift are made of black leather with yellow stitching. This Grand Sport model comes at a price of 1.58 million euros.

After the final order for the Bugatti Veyron coupé has been placed in June 2011, marking an end to the successful era and exclusive production run of 300 units of the supercar and its even faster cousin the Super Sport, the story of Bugatti’s exceptional sports car is set to continue. Automotive connoisseurs have the opportunity to still acquire the Grand Sport and its supreme technology. When the roof is on, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport can reach a top speed of 407 km/h, while speeds of up to 350 km/h are possible with the roof off. This makes the Grand Sport the fastest roadster in the world. The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 16.4 will be assembled by hand at the company’s headquarters in Molsheim, France. In cooperation with the Bugatti design and engineering team, Bugatti customers can tailor their vehicles to their personal preferences by choosing from a broad array of exquisite materials and colours. The Grand Sport model on display in Qatar demonstrates an ever growing number of options available to existing and new Grand Sport owners. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has limited the Grand Sport to 150 units of which 105 slots are still open. The standard version costs 1.4 million euros (excluding taxes and delivery).

Source: Bugatti Press Release

Bugatti crowns the 2011 Dubai International Motor Show with three spectacular Middle East versions of the Grand Sport

 

At the Dubai International Motor Show the legendary French brand presents three very special models of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which is the fastest, most powerful and exclusive open top car in the world. It is Bugatti’s intention to honor the very important Middle East market with this threefold variety and to provide its highly exclusive clientele in the Middle East an insight into how creativity and inspiration can be successfully driven to individualized luxury.

 

The first Grand Sport on display at Dubai Motor Show has a horizontal color split with a bright yellow body and an underside in visible black carbon, including black-tinted wheels. The striking contrast of black and yellow, Ettore Bugatti’s favorite colors, is continued by seats finished in yellow-colored leather with black stitching. The middle console is in black carbon, while the dashboard, steering wheel and gearshift are encased in black leather with yellow stitching. This Grand Sport model comes at a price of 1.58 million Euros ($2,170,000.00 USD).

The second individualized Grand Sport model is also presented in a two-tone horizontal color split consisting of visible blue carbon, framed in polished, anodized aluminum. The rims are highlighted in an aluminum polished and Diamond Cut two-tone finish. The grills at the front and the air intakes are in aluminum with a mirror shine finish. The interior of this car is finished with tangerine leather throughout. Only the door panels, dashboard, steering wheel and console are covered in dark blue Indigo leather or exposed blue carbon fiber, with tangerine stitching on the steering wheel and gearshift knob. This special edition model has a price of 1.74 million Euros ($2,390,000.00 USD).

The third Grand Sport comes in the newly developed green carbon fiber tone with polished aluminum. This special model takes up the traditional Bugatti two-tone-specification. The rims, the exterior rearview mirrors and even the EB-logo at the rear are of polished aluminum to create an elegant and harmonious overall appearance. The interior, especially and tastefully selected, is also dominated in green and silver which matches perfectly with the flamboyant exterior. The third Dubai Motor Show 2011 special edition model will be delivered at a price of 1.74 million Euros ($2.390,000.00 USD).

All these models fully stand in the tradition of Ettore Bugatti’s constant strive to use new color schemes and materials to provide his clientele with unique cars for its exclusive taste. Today Bugatti is still expanding the possibilities of options to offer more and more sophisticated individualization.

In cooperation with the Bugatti design and engineering teams, Bugatti customers can tailor their vehicles to their personal preferences by choosing from a broad array of exquisite materials and colors. The three models in Dubai display an ever growing number of options available to existing and new Grand Sport owners.

Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has limited the Grand Sport to 150 units of which 45 have been sold and 105 slots are still open. The cars will be manufactured at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France.

Source: Bugatti Press Release

2011 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc

With the partnership between Bugatti and the Königliche Porzellan-Manufatur Berlin (KPM) the renowned manufacturer emphasizes the ability in creating pieces of automotive art. The “L’Or Blanc” celebrates its world premiere with an exclusive unveiling ceremony on June 30, 2011 at the KPM workshops in Berlin. This unique version of a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport is the world’s first motor car to wear the finest porcelain on its body, as well as in its cabin. It captivates with an abstract exterior design.

The security officer nods, the door opens. Amidst pure white walls bright spotlights illuminate a
Bugatti Grand Sport that is placed in the center of the spacious room. We have entered the hidden
world of the Bugatti Design Studio. The team around Bugatti’s Head of Design Achim Anscheidt
works in a quiet and focused atmosphere as they walk around their latest object of desire. Several times they stop, take a step to the left and to the right; they bend down and up again, looking intensely at the Grand Sport from different angles. They analyze the reflections of light on the car’s body before they step back for a moment to get an overall impression of their work. Thin blue lines flow over the bright white exterior of the fastest convertible in the world. It feels like visiting the atelier of an American pop-art artist.

The creation bears the name “L’Or Blanc.” It represents an automobile that redefines the art of design.
If you look at it through the eyes of a designer, you will recognize that it is the reflection of the studio
lights on the body that attracts their interest. Positioned beneath a special light, the car is set in an ideal environment that provides an excellent image of the reflections. The studio light is reflected on the invisible edges between the body shapes of the Grand Sport. In numerous stages each reflection line is translated by Bugatti’s designers onto the car body that has been pre-painted in a vibrant white tone.

They use a precision tape made of Japanese soft tissue that can be easily torn off by hand. It adheres perfectly to sulphur-containing plasticine. By stretching them to a certain degree, these tapes are “lined” in pieces up to five meters long across the whole exterior of the car.

If the line does not fully meet the intention of the designers, they place a correction tape above the
original line. This process is repeated until the final line has the right tension and character. Between
the styling steps, the team looks at the car from a distance to evaluate the relation of the stripes to the white spaces. This is also the best way to ensure that lines flow from one side of the body across the roof and the rear to the opposite side. Even the smallest imperfections are being revised meticulously, as the final target is to achieve unrivalled perfection. Finally, the lines stretch across the perfectly shaped Bugatti like a grid of light reflections. Over the course of several weeks, the team of designers develop the final composition of dynamic bends and delicate lines that run over the automotive piece of art like the serpentines of the Italian Stelvio Pass.

“The ‘L’Or Blanc’ is evidence of the capabilities of the craftsmen at both brands. The distinctive structure of lines does not only mirror the elaborate hand painting on porcelain but also the process of modeling in automotive design,” says Achim Anscheidt.

In the next step, Bugatti’s paint specialists dedicate themselves to the further completion of the masterpiece.

Over the course of three weeks, each millimeter of the marked lines are being filled by hand with the characteristic blue color. In addition, the whole body receives five layers of clear lacquer. A varying and powerful gradient of the two colors is generated because the team had used a combination of tapes with different widths. While the blue lines dominate over the white spaces in the lower section of the convertible, the relation of colors inverts on the way to the roof so that the intense white appears
even stronger. Twelve elements, made of finest porcelain at the Berlin based manufactory, complete the aesthetic approach of this special Grand Sport.

Let us change the location and visit the workshops of the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur in the
heart of Berlin. Following a tradition of around 250 years, at this location more than 170 craftsmen
and specialists produce precious items, as today’s expression of porcelain art. Hand-made plaster
moulds are needed to craft the unique porcelain elements that appear in the exterior and interior of
the “L’Or Blanc”, and with a tremendous attention to detail, each mould is created and optimized in a
several-week-long process at the research and development department. The team has to run a number of dedicated tests with the raw material to check the impact of the natural shrinkage of around 16 percent during firing and drying. Finally, the porcelain elements fit seamlessly to the Bugatti components.

“Porcelain is one of the strongest materials but the grade of quality depends significantly on the excellence of the manufacturing process. We had to assure that the inlays perfectly fit to the filler caps, it has been a challenge for us to exactly calculate the shrinkage of porcelain,” explains Thomas Wenzel, Head of Design at KPM.

The “L’Or Blanc” is the world’s first automobile to be equipped with porcelain, and the development
team invested a lot of effort to guarantee that each item is capable of performing in every driving situation in the most powerful car on the market. Before their application to the car, the porcelain elements were extensively examined in regard to automotive safety and quality to optimally protect the passengers in case of an accident.

As part of the exterior design, porcelain is used for the inlays of the centre wheel badges, the fuel filler
cap and the oil filler cap as well as the signature “EB” badge at the rear. Their shiny white surface blends in with the brilliant bright finish of the paint suggesting that the car would be coated with a thin layer of porcelain, too.

“At first, it seems to be an unusual idea to use porcelain in a car, especially in the world’s fastest convertible,” comments Dr. Stefan Brungs, Director of Sales and Marketing at Bugatti Automobiles. “But this is what Bugatti stands for: the realization of exceptional ideas whilst striving for the utmost in
quality and aesthetics. This allows us to continue Ettore Bugatti’s heritage, who himself loved to experiment with new materials.”

Besides the signed porcelain inlays on the sides of the centre console, an intarsia made of finest porcelain is fixed to the rear panel between the seats. Similar to the exterior porcelain elements this item carries the relief of the famous elephant in an upright standing position that has been created by sculptor Rembrandt Bugatti. His brother Ettore had used the original draft to cast the radiator mascot for the Bugatti Royale. This elephant is a synonym for the brand still today. Embedded in the top of the centre console, there is a fine porcelain dish with edges finished in an exclusive diamond polishing – a technique that has been applied by the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin for the very first time.

The precious dish can be removed and is part of a picnic set that was exclusively designed by KPM for the Bugatti car.

“The impulse for that partnership came from Rembrandt Bugatti’s renowned elephant,” tells Jörg
Woltmann, owner of the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM) and car aficionado. “At the
beginning, we wanted to integrate the sculpture in our product range, then we thought about the potential for a comprehensive service and finally the synthesis of ideas led us to this outstanding Grand Sport.” Woltmann is enthusiastic about the “L’Or Blanc”. “A number of superlatives are associated with porcelain from the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin: one says it has the most beautiful shapes and decors, it has the hardest weight and the whitest tone. Now, it is also the fastest porcelain.”

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport “L’Or Blanc” presented in Berlin, is a one-of-a-kind creation. Nevertheless, the partnership is supposed to be continued, and Bugatti’s designers received a lot of inspiration from porcelain painting offering a variety of new opportunities for the design. The price of the Bugatti L’Or Blanc is 1.65 m EUR.

Source: Bugatti Press Release

LINEA Vincerò d’Oro – The Ultimate Bugatti Veyron 16.4 from MANSORY remains one of a kind

With the LINEA Vincerò d’Oro, MANSORY has completed its strictly limited series for the refined Bugatti Veyron 16.4. After the specialist for exclusive luxury vehicles raised the bar for high-performance sports cars by another level in March 2009, MANSORY is now placing the crowning glory on the art of refinement. Using targeted changes, MANSORY first transformed the Bugatti Veyron into the LINEA Vincerò and then, using a special gold-coloured alloy, into the unique LINEA Vincerò d’Oro.

Compared with the standard Veyron, the LINEA Vincerò has received a comprehensive facelift to its front, consisting of modified fenders, a shortened bonnet and a striking front apron. The LED daytime running lights and the stylised letter “V” (paying homage to the name Vincerò) built into the car’s front end are particular highlights of the new design while the newly developed side skirts form a visual and aerodynamic link between the axles.

Larger air outlets at the rear and at the sides of the car ensure optimal engine cooling and, with the new diffuser, underscore the vehicle’s vibrant design. MANSORY manufactures almost all the components in the car’s body from ultra-light, high-strength carbon and the autoclave method of hardening under high pressure and high temperatures used during the manufacturing process makes a huge improvement to the quality of the materials. One unique feature of the design of the LINEA Vincerò d’Oro is the carbon fabric with inbuilt copper thread used by MANSORY, the metallic sheen of which really brings out the exceptional nature of this special car.

Other gold-coloured features complete the LINEA Vincerò d’Oro, including the distinctive “turbine” design alloy wheels, the curved grill featuring the stylised “Vincerò-V”, the door handles, the rear view mirror caps and the fuel tank cap. But that’s not all: the headlight washer nozzle covers, the borders around the daytime running LEDs and the decorative features on the roof all shimmer in precious gold too.

The car’s interior has an exclusive look and feel while remaining functional. MANSORY understands the importance of combining luxury and technology with the golden aspirations of this unique car. Traditional workmanship, fine materials and a stylistically confident design combine to create an interior that is fitting for such a classy car. You notice this in particular with the LEDs of the car’s mood lighting system placed in the car’s seats, the door trims and the dashboard. The entire passenger cabin shines in the golden glow of this feel-good lighting which masterfully draws attention to the high-quality carbon appliqués as well as to the specially embossed leather. The airbag steering wheel with inbuilt shift paddles and gilded elements, designed in a new ergonomic style, is both sporty easy to keep a good grip of. Gold alloys can also be found on the decorative strips of the door trims and on the centre console.

The Mansory Cooperation GmbH solely offers proprietary developed modification accessories under the name LINEA Vincerò. They do not market entire automobiles and also do not sell any such vehicles.

(Source: Mansory Press Release)

Bugatti debuts Veyron 16.4 Super Sport & achieves a new landspeed world record for production cars

The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport takes production sports cars to a whole new dimension

Wolfsburg/Molsheim, July 4, 2010 – on a beautiful sunny day at 25 degrees the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport achieved a new landspeed world record for production cars, on the proving grounds of the Volkswagen Group at Ehra-Lessien (nearby its headquarters at Wolfsburg). In the presence of the German Technical Inspection Agency (TÜV) and a representative of Guinness Book of Records the Super Sport achieved an average top speed of 431 km/h.

Saturday, 2 pm – Bugatti’s Pilote Officiel Pierre Henri Raphanel puts his helmet and gloves on, pulls the safety belts tight whilst the engineers check the car a very last time: tyre pressure, temperature, all systems go. Then the orange black Super Sport crosses the light barrier, from now on the time will be taken, within one hour the car has to drive from South to North and then in the opposite direction. No one but the driver is allowed to touch the car during this time. The tension rises. A few minutes later we can hear from the left side the sound of a starting jumbo jet coming closer towards us. First we perceive the headlights of the Veyron, then we can recognize the shape of the car, a loud wooosh…. and Raphanel dashes in top speed past us. The GPS-tachometer stops at 427, 933 km/h. Now the same procedure from the opposite direction. This time the car reaches 434, 211 km/h. As average top speed the representatives of the “TÜV”and Guinness generate a value of 431, 072 km/h (268 mph). This even hit Bugatti’s engineering team by surprise.

“We took it that we would reach an average value of 425 km/h,” explains Bugatti’s chief engineer Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, “but the conditions today were perfect and allowed even more.”

The climax of the Veyron series: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

Had a model been especially popular or highly successful in races, Ettore Bugatti’s customers often pushed the master to tease out of the engine a few horsepower more for their future car. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. had been in a similar situation when their existing customers asked the companyto not only design their second model optically differently but to also create a version with a sportierand more extreme driving experience.  The result is a car with a uniquely high performance of1,200-hp (882 kW) offering experienced drivers a whole new dimension of excitement, with a maximum torque of 1,500 Newton metres and a limited top speed of 415 km/h (to protect them tyres) but, the technique of the Super Sport is identical to the record car. The first five Super Sports to come off the production line will constitute a special series of their own, with the same configuration as the landspeed record car.

The Super Sport is a consequent of the further development of the classic exclusive 1,001-hp Bugatti Veyron 16.4, launched in 2005. This model offers a stunning set of specifications, such as the twin clutch gearbox with seven speeds, the extraordinarily precise driving performance in bends and excellent stability when braking and accelerating.

Continuous work in extreme performance ranges lead to constantly new conclusions, which enabled the engineers at Bugatti to develop the Veyron into a direction in which the driver can reach new dimensions. Every modification is designed to produce an even more powerful car for an agile ride. Four enlarged turbochargers and bigger intercoolers have been used to boost the power of the 16-cylinder engine, and the chassis has been extensively redesigned to maintain safety at extreme speed – thanks to slightly raised main-spring travel, stronger stabilisers, and new shock absorbers with a complex architecture originally developed for racing cars. This gives noticeably more precise control of the wheels and the car as a whole. With lateral acceleration of up to 1.4 G and improved interaction between the tyres and the intelligent all-wheel drive system, the Super Sport offers perfect handling and even more powerful acceleration of 1,500 Newton metres on corner exits.

The body has been fine-tuned to improve aerodynamic efficiency and maintain perfect balance in every situation, while the new fibre structure of the all-carbon monocoque ensures maximum torsion rigidity and passive safety – at reduced weight. The skin is made entirely of carbon-fibre composites, and the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is available in 100 per-cent clear-lacquered exposed carbon on request.

Dynamic exterior

Every detail of this car, and not just its use of advanced motorsport technology, harks back to the pioneering spirit of company founder Ettore Bugatti. This brilliant designer came from a family of artists, and his philosophy was always to combine mechanical perfection and exterior beauty. This ethos remains alive and well at the company, and the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is wholly unmistakeable, with every external modification serving to coax greater performance from the car.

The Super Sport’s flat, elongated silhouette is immediately recognisable. The 16-cylinder engine gets its air from two NACA ducts integrated into the roof, rather than from scoops above the engine. The front air intakes have been expanded and reshaped, with the lower one extending elegantly around the sides to the wheel arch. The revised back looks sportier due to the double diffuser and a centrally arranged exhaust system.

Bugatti has a tradition of making super-sport versions of successful models, usually with racing chassis and supercharged engines. These cars were considered as true racing machines for diehard Bugatti devotees. The most successful were the type 55 and type 57S; only around forty of each were built.

Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has sold 260 Veyrons and 35 Grand Sports by now, of which 249 Veyrons and 22 Grand Sports had been delivered. The Super Sport will begin production this autumn at Molsheim along with the Veyron and the Grand Sport. The first five cars – known as the World Record Edition – are in a special black exposed carbon and orange finish and have already been sold.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport will appear for the first time in public in California at the Pebble Beach Concours weekend in mid-August and will be featured at The Quail, Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca and on the concept lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

(Source: Bugatti Press Release)

For Sale:2008 Bugatti Veyron Special Order #183

Ambassador Auto Sales is proud to offer this 2008 Bugatti Veyron Special Order #183. It is a brand new car still under the MSO. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to own one of the most sought after supercars of all time. This particular car was custom tailored with White and Red t toned exterior paint. The interior is finished with Tailored Red and White leather to match. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to own one of the most sought after supercars of all time.

Click Here to View Entire Inventory or Contact Ambassador Auto Sales

World’s Most Valuable Car, The 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic

The 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC was sold on Wednesday by Gooding & Company Auction House. Although they did not disclose the selling price, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the selling price was between $30-$40 million dollars, WOW! Below is the press release from Gooding & Company.

Gooding & Company, The internationally celebrated auction house that offers a wide range of services, including private and estate sales, is proud to announce that it has sold the unparalleled 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic To an undisclosed buyer. As the official broker for the Trust That formerly owned the Atlantic, Gooding & Company found a devoted connoisseur who will become the guardian of this treasured piece of automotive history. “I Am extremely pleased to have found the new buyer for the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, One of the world’s most significant and valuable automobiles that has been in a private collection and rarely seen during the past four decades,” says David Gooding, President and founder of Gooding & Company. “It has been a great pleasure to work with the Williamson Family and Trust In this important endeavor.” Formerly The coveted pillar of the world renowned Williamson Bugatti Collection, the Atlantic was the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance best in Show car. The Atlantic Was an automobile derived from Bugatti’s Prototype Aerolithe Electron Coupé That caused a sensation when it was unveiled at the 1935 Paris Auto Salon. Bugatti Later built just three Atlantics, Each one different from the next, but this 1936 Car (chassis #57374) Is the first in the series and its historical significance, originality and restoration has been revered by enthusiasts throughout the world.

(Source: Gooding & Company)

VIDEO: Buggatti Galibier 16C Concept Car




I know we have had quite a bit coverage for a car Bugatti has yet to decide if they will build, but this video was so impressive we couldn’t ressist passing it along. With this type of marketing, I can’t imagine that Bugatti hasn’t created enough buzz to get the Galiber into production.

Thanks to our partners at www.automotiveaddicts.com for the heads up.

2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Coupe

This 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Coupe is offered by EuroMotorsport.

Description

• Stock Number: M795115
• VIN Number: VF9SA25C58M795115
• Model Year: 2008
• Make: Bugatti
• Model: Veyron
• Style Name: Coupe 16.4
• Vehicle Trim: 16.4
• Body Type: Coupe
• Vehicle Type: Exotic
• Interior Color: Anthracite
• Exterior Color: Bright Silver Metallic

Suspension

• Independent Suspension: Independent
• Stabilizer Bar: Front And Rear

In Car Entertainment

• Audio System: AM/FM Stereo
• Premium Brand: Burmester
• Speakers: 8
• Multimedia CD Location: Single In-Dash Mounted
• Antenna Type: Window Grid

Comfort

• Air Conditioning: Automatic
• Center Console Trim: Leather/Aluminum
• Dash Trim: Aluminum
• Door Trim: Aluminum
• Mats: Carpet Front
• Reading Lights: Front
• Rearview Mirror: Day-Night
• Shift Knob: Leather/Aluminum
• Steering Wheel Trim: Leather/Aluminum

Dimensions

• Front Head Room: 36.00 Inches
• Front Leg Room: 44.00 Inches
• Luggage Capacity: 1.30 Cubic Feet
• Maximum Seating: 2
• Length: 175.70 Inches
• Width: 78.70 Inches
• Height: 45.60 Inches
• Weight: Pounds
• Wheelbase: 106.70 Inches
• Ground Clearance: 2.60 Inches
• Curb Weight: 4162.00 Pounds

• Engine Description: 8.0L W16
• Fuel Type: Gas
• Cam Type: Dual Overhead Cam
• Fuel Induction: Direct Gasoline Injection
• Valves Per Cylinder: 4
• Aspiration: Twin Turbocharged
• Compressor: Quad Turbo
• MPG Manual City: 8
• MPG Manual Highway: 14

Instrumentation

• Clock
• Compass
• External Temp
• Low Fuel Level
• Tachometer
• Trip Computer

Seats

• Drivers: Heated Cushion And Seatback
• Drivers Height: Manual
• Passenger: Heated Cushion And Seatback
• Passenger Height: Manual
• Seating Capacity: 2
• Front Seat Type: Sport
• Upholstery: Leather

Features

• Aux Engine Cooler: Regular
• Aux Transmission Cooler: Regular
• Vinyl Floor Covering: Carpet
• Bumpers: Body-Colored
• Door Reinforcement

• Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic
• Drive Train Type: AWD
• 4WD Type : Full-Time
• Driven Wheels: All-Wheel Drive
• Locking Hubs: Permanent
• Wheels Rims: Forged Alloy

Roof and Glass

• Front Wipers: Variable Intermittent
• Privacy Glass: Light

Convenience

• Windows: Power
• Steering Power: Hydraulic Power-Assist
• Steering Adjustment: Manual Tilting
• Mirrors: Power Remote
• Auto Dimming Mirrors
• Remote Mirrors: Power Remote
• Power Door Locks: Power With 2 Stage Unlock
• Door Pockets
• Overhead Console: Mini
• Remote Trunk Release: Power
• Navigation System
• Phone: Portable Hands Free

Safety

• Front Passenger Airbag: Deactivated
• Driver and Passenger Airbag
• ABS: 4-Wheel
• Mirrors
• Brakes: 4 Wheel Disc
• Anti Theft System
• Brake Assist
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Headlights: High Intensity Low/High Beam
• Headlights Dusksensor: Auto Off
• Headlight Cleaners: Washer
• Daytime Running Light
• Front Headrests: Fixed
• Trunk Release: Power
• Engine Immobilizer
• Turning Circle: 50.00
• Door Reinforcement
• Traction Control: ABS And Driveline
• Stability Control

Click here for more information and photos

 

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LuxuryAutoDirect.com gets Exclusive Look at the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car

Story & Photos by Mike Daly

Bugatti is currently attempting to elicit feedback on the recently unveiled 16C Galibier sedan concept by inviting customers and members of the media to participate in interviews that will help the company gauge the strengths of the car and its potential market viability.  Two exclusive invite-only events, a November 5 presentation in Beverly Hills and a similar effort to follow in Dubai, mark only the second and third exhibitions of the concept car.  Bugatti designer Achim Anscheidt and worldwide head of marketing and sales Alasdair Stewart were part of a contingent of Bugatti personnel that presented the Galibier at Beverly Hills’ Ace Gallery and explained how the car’s visual cues had evolved from seminal prewar models such as the Type 35 and Type 57 Atlantic, as well as the 16.4 Veyron. 

 The 16C Galibier takes its name from the 8.0 liter W16 engine also used in the Veyron, as well as the 2,645-meter southern Alpine pass whose name graced the Type 57 Galibier saloons of the 1930s.  As in the 30s cars, the C refers to compression, in this case provided by two superchargers (as opposed to the Veyron’s four turbochargers).  Anscheidt described the prodigious W16 as “our most unique selling point for this car.”

 Like the one-off Sang Bleu version of the Veyron GrandSport that was exhibited at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the 16C Galibier concept is finished in a two-tone color scheme of blue-tinted carbon fiber and polished aluminum.  Though the garish use of materials is appropriate for an exotic sports car such as the Veyron, or even a concept car such as this Galibier, those in attendance seemed to concur that the color scheme would not translate well to a production version.  Flashy materials aside, though, the Galibier concept is a stately and impressive car, true to Bugatti’s reputation for cutting edge technology and artistic craftsmanship.  From a raised center spine that traces from the front fascia through the rear hatchback (even visually continued through the windshield by an elongated mirror support), to the company monogram outlined by the headlamp filaments, this Galibier is replete with aesthetic details.  The car is larger than photos would suggest, and particularly from the front, strikes a pose of stately elegance.  In a visual cue that is probably more presentational than functional, two separate panels on the hood automatically rise from a central hinge in what the company describes as a butterfly bonnet, clearly a modern translation of the hand-lifted hood covers that granted engine access to the mechanics of yesteryear.

 Bugatti opulence is even more pronounced in the car’s interior.  A large knurled wood console that stretches from door to door is minimally accented with instruments, including two large central gauges that measure power use and speed.  Between them lies a chronograph by Parmigiani that can be removed and worn as a wristwatch.  Artfully constructed leather seats are accented with classic wicker, a suggestion of a material more common to coachbuilt cars of the 30s.  The wicker is also employed in door trim that doubles as speaker covers.  Anscheidt explained that innovation is required in using such classic cues and materials to avoid the dreaded “retro” label.  “We’re always striving for a new interpretation,” he said.  “Sometimes this new interpretation comes in technical terms, sometimes in stylistic terms, but never just the same” as the original.  Bugatti tradition is even evident in the trunk, where a handmade luggage set contains a vintage leather racing helmet and goggles. 

 As this Galibier is still a concept, Bugatti offered no hard numbers in terms of anticipated performance.   The car does not share a platform with any other, and has been engineered from the ground up as an individual model.  Bearing in mind that the car’s W16 was originally devised for mid-rear placement in the Veyron, we asked Anscheidt if challenges were posed in fitting the powerplant into a frontal location, and what impact the new placement had in the remainder of the concept’s layout and overall design.  He conceded that at first he was concerned, but soon realized that the W16’s remarkably compact construction would not affect the rest of the Galibier’s creation.  “If we had to deal with a monstrous engine in the front it would have translated on to the rear of the car which would not have been beneficial for the overall sporty character that was important for us.”

 Bugatti has also declared that the W16 will be flex fuel capable, able to run on either traditional gasoline or E85.  It is surely no coincidence that Bentley, another marque owned by the VW Group, has already begun to integrate similar flex fuel technology into their model line.  When pressed to explain the connection, Anscheidt readily admitted that Bugatti would be foolish not to capitalize on its parent’s research and development gains.  “As much as we’re looking for individual customer solutions, we’re not closing the door on the benefits that we can have from the overall Volkswagen Group in terms of the latest technology.”

 Focus group questions sought reaction to the Galibier, including opinions and criticisms.  They also asked how much such a car should cost and if a market for the car truly exists.  Though there is clearly a limit to the number of auto enthusiasts in the world that are capable of dropping $2 million on another car, it seems that Bugatti would ignore a glaring market gap by not producing a sedan.  Furthermore, Bugatti has a renowned history of producing elegant touring cars and saloons, including the original Galibiers.  A new Bugatti sedan of some kind would seem to be the long-awaited legacy to those prewar classics.

 Depending on customer feedback, Bugatti will either continue with this Galibier concept, or change course by developing one of a number of alternative sedan ideas that Anscheidt stated were in “healthy competition.”  Anscheidt would not commit to clarifying the chances that this car will reach production, but did suggest that Bugatti will likely soon field a sedan that is based on significant input from the company’s customer base.  “We very much need to and want to involve [our customers] in our processes.  Our customer base is not that vast – between 200 and 400 people.  We need them; we want to tailor our products with and for them.”

See our previous post on the Bugatti Galiber 16C Concept Car 

 

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